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TT M T W IT r» Qrn a mpo no » *r n r> t n i 







































































































HEART’S EASE 


IN 

HEART-TROUBLE. 


OR, 

A SOVEREIGN REMEDY 


AGAINST ALL 

TROUBLE OF HEART 


THAT 

Christ’s Disciples are subject to , 

UNDJtR ALL KINDS 

OF AFFLICTIONS IN THIS LIFE. 

PRESCRIBED BY ^THE GREAT* PHYSICIAN »HE LORD JESTJS 
CHRIST, 'WTIICII HATH NEVER FAILED THOSE 
THAT HAVE USED IT, OR EVER WILL, 

TO THE END OF THE WORLD. 

BY JOHN BUNYAN, 

Author of the ‘ Pilgrim's Progress ,* * Holy War ,* bV. 

0 the blessedness of all them that trust in him t 

The full soul loathdh the honey-comb; but to the 
hungry sold every bitter thing is sweet, Prov. xxvii. 7. 

BRATTLEBOROUGH : 

PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM FESSENDEN* ~ 

’ ' >1 


1813. 




^ Hp - JvISR hRY 
Gje Cong rkss 

Washington 


AN EPISTLE 

TO THE 

TRULY LOWLY HEARTED READERS , 

Who have learned of their dear Lord so to be, who himself 
will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking 
fax. 

Charitable Reader , 

CHA.RITY, which is the bond of perfect¬ 
ness, and the greatest rarity now in the world, 
and in the church too, (the more is the pity) 
thou must put on, who readest this, the plain¬ 
est and most unpolished piece that ever thou 
sawest, (for the author never bad skill in dress¬ 
ing) if thou meanest to profit any thing by it, 
which is the only thing, God knows, is aimed at 
by tlie author, who always prays and studies to 
speak and write, rather to men’s hearts than ears. 

In hope of gaining thy charity, suffer me to 
give a short, but true account of the ensuing 
treatise, viz, I being about three years since, 
for some reasons, retired from my family and 
place of abode, and by sickness, and other things, 
confined ; during which time, many of my dear 
friends and relations in Christ were called home 
to their Father’s house; whereupon I thought it 
my duty to write some lines to their surviving 


VI 


AN EPISTLE 


relations, as I was by them desired to do ; and 
after seeking God for counsel and assistance, I 
thought on this text spoken to in the following, 
discourse ; (for it was not at the least in my 
thoughts ever to publish this, or any other, 
knowing my inability.) I wrote in my home¬ 
ly style what thou wilt here find, (all except the 
title-page and postscript,) calculating it to the 
capacities of the plainest Christians, to whom I 
then sent it, and with whom it lodged, until 
about six months, when it pleased the only wise 
God to bring me to a trial of my faith and pa¬ 
tience. So deep a stroke it was, that I used all 
means for my support ; and it came into my 
mind, that such a thing I had written so long 
before, to help in such cases, and that several 
had found benefit by it ; I made enquiry after 
it, and at last found it ; and in reading of it, as 
the word of God, and begging God’s blessing on 
it, I found much relief and comfort thereby, (all 
praise and thanks to God*) and thereupon had 
some small inclination to communicate the same 
to others; and after many struggles and reluc¬ 
tances in myself, and with prayers and tears, I 
besought the Lord to direct me : at last 1 consid¬ 
ered, I must shortly put off this my earthly tab- 
ernacle, and having for many years been laid a- 
side like a broken vessel of no use, and compass* 
* 2 Cor. i. 4,5. 


TO THE READER. 


vii 

ed with many bodily infirmities, I was willing 
to leave behind me a little scrap of my labors to 
my children and friends, to put them in mind 
of what I had taught them for above thirty 
years together ; that they might be fortified a- 
gainst ail the troubles of this life, and by faith 
in God and Christ, hold fast, and not lose their 
crown. 

But why so mean a thing as this among the 
learned labors of so many eminent writers on 
the like subject ? 

I answer, that our Lord took special notice of 
the widow’s mite ;* and he will not despise the 
day of small things.f 

But what can you aim at ? may be said. 

Ani*w. Not applause, to be sure, being con¬ 
scious of my own weakness; nor profit or gain, 
expecting but acceptance : but this, God and 
eq} conscience bear me witness, this is my aim, 
my most humble and lervent prayer, that some 
of Christ’s poor little flock, (my children, and 
others, whose souls are precious to me, and 
whom I dearly love in the Lord) may receive 
some advantage ; and chiefly, that God may 
have all the glory, who hath chosen the weak 
things of the world, &c. and who accepts the 
will for the deed, &c. Such as will not make 
• Mark xii. 43, 44. t iv. 10. 


viii AN EPISTLE, &C. 

use of it, let them do better, and I shall be glad. 

None may be afraid to buy or read it, for there 
is not a word of state or church matters ih it ; I 
daily pray for the prosperity of both, but think it 
not my duty to meddle with either, but in sub¬ 
jection. 

Two requests I have to thee, loving reader : 

1. Pray for a blessing upon as much as you 
find to be the express will of God- 

2. Pray for me, that I may more and more 
find and feel the life and power of those, and all 
the truths of God in mine own heart, and may 
express more of the life and faith in my whole 
conversation ; and I will also pray for thee, that 
thou mayest find as much (and much more) ben¬ 
efit in reading this, as I have in composing and 
perusing it ; all praise to the God of all grace. 
If you find some passages (in your opinion) too 
often repeated, be not offended, till you find 
them too powerful on your hearts. 

Thus committing this poor essay to the bles¬ 
sing of him who is the Father of mercies, and 
•can teach us to profit by his word and rod, and 
thvself to his love and favor in Jesus Christ ; in 
him I remain for thy soul’s good, 

Thy 7iumhle servant) 

Fiom tlie House cf my Pi’giimage, 

March, 16 P 0 . 


J. B. 


HEART’S EASE 

' IN 

HEART TROUBLE. 


Let not your hearts be troubled ; ye be¬ 
lieve in God, believe alfo in me . John 
cciv. 1,2, 3. 

THESE words are a part of our blessed Sav¬ 
iour’s last sermon upon earth, just before his pas- 
sion, which begins (as is probable) at the 13th 
verse of the xiiith chapter of this gospel, and 
ends at the last verse of the xvith chapter ; in 
which verse our Lord tells his disciples, (how 
dear soever they were to him yet) in the world 
they should have persecution, tribulation ; of which 
he had often told them before in effect ;* that 
they should not expect their heaven here, but 
his cross they must bear if they would wear his 
crown : tribulations of all kinds, outward and 
inward you must endure : it is your portion 
here, you are thereunto appointed.! Man is nat¬ 
urally born to trouble, as the sparks naturally fly 
upwards ; and new born to trouble also, and 
commonly to new and more troubles. Al t l 

* Matt, xvi, 24. 

f lThess.iii, 3. Jobxiv. L Matt. x. 22, 2T» 



10 


that 'Will live godly in Christ Jesus , shall suffer perse? 
cut'ion ;* of hand, or tongue, one way or other. 
Indeed, such as can he content with a profession 
of godliness that may suit with the times; that 
can please themselves with any kind of godli¬ 
ness, and that can change their forms when 
they please, such may avoid persecution : But 
all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, and re¬ 
solve to live up to the example and rule of Christ 
Jesus, they shall have persecution, no avoiding 
of it. No entering into the kingdom of God 
but by tribulation. But notwithstanding this, 
our Lord lays this positive command on his dis¬ 
ciples ; let not your hearts be troubled. 

These poor disciples were likely shortly to 
sustain an heavy loss of their dearest Lord ; he 
was now a going away from them ; a greater 
loss they could not have: and yet, saith Christ, 
Let not your hearts be troubled ; which command is 
repeated and explained in verse 27, Let not your 
heart be troubled , nor let it be afraid. 

What ! might they say, must we not be 
troubled at all ? Must nothing trouble us ? No, 
we must not be troubled for any outward tribu¬ 
lation, for parting with the nearest and dearest 
relation, we must not be troubled. Yet we are 


# Acts xiv, 22. 2 Tim. iii. 18. 


n 


not forbidden to be troubled for Zion ? It is a 
grievous sin, not to be grieved for the afflictions of 
Joseph ?* Surely, we must be troubled for God’s 
dishonor, because men break God's commandments .f 
Trouble of heart, except for sin, is sinful trouble. 
Where sin lies heavy, affliction lieth light. 
They shall not say I am s ’rck ; for. their iniquities shall 
be forgiven them.% Sense of pardon to those souls 
that felt the burden of sin, much alleviates and 
lightens the burthen of affliction. “ Strike, Lord, 
(said Luther) now I am absolve Vrom my sin.” 

We are always too prone to fall into extremes, 
to sin either in excess or in defect, too much, or 
too little ; we are faulty both ways. As for sin, 
which is the worst of evils, we are apt to be 
troubled too little. How few fail here in the 
excess, though it is possible so to do ; and some 
have, that refuse to be comforted by all the 
sweet promises of Christ in the gospel : but 
here there are but few of those ; most of us fail 
in the defect. We are not troubled for sin as 
much as we should ; our hearts do seldom feel 
the weight of sin pressing us down :§ many sins 
lie light on us ; our vain thoughts, our omissions, 
careless performance of holy duties, mis-spending 
precious time, idle talk, &c. and such-like evils 5 

* Amos vi. 6. f Psal. cxix. 53, 136. 

$ Isa. xxxiii* 24* _ § l J sal. xxxviii. S, 4, 





which should trouble us most, they trouble m 
least. 

But afflictions, whicii comparatively are but 
light,* lie too heavy upon us, and press us down 
even to the dust. So in respect of afflictions 
themselves, we are apt to run into extremes, a- 
gainst which the Holy Ghost gives us a caution 
as to both extremes. My son , desp ise not thou the 

chastening of the Lard ; neither be weary of his chast¬ 
isement ,-f the apostle explains it, Neither faint 
•when thou art corrected of him : Adding a most 
powerful argument against those extremes, For 
•whom the Lord loveth he correcteth , even as a father 
the son , in whom he deligHeth ; and therefore des¬ 
pise not his chastisements, and fatherly correc¬ 
tions ; slight them not, For they come from a 
loving Father, a wise Father, and should not be 
despised by his children, they are the fruits of his 
love : also, you must not be weary of them, nor 
faint under them for the same reason, viz. be¬ 
cause they shall not hurt you, they flow from 
your Fathers love ; from a Father they come, 
who delighteth in you, and therefore ye ought 
not to faint under them ; or, as it is in the,text. 
Whatever affliction befalls you , let not your hearts be 
troubled. 

It is heart-trouble you see, that is here forbid- 
& 2 Cor. iv. 3. t H.eb= xii. 5,6. 


13 


'den ; not a filial sense of Cod’s hand, nor a 
child like acknowledgment of God’s rod : God’s 
rod hath a voice, and its voice must be heard.* 
When his hand is lifted upf to strike, to lay on 
any blows on us, or any of our relations, or earth¬ 
ly comforts, we must observe it, and Him, and 
acknowledge the same : but, not to acknowl¬ 
edge, and observe the hand of God ; not to con¬ 
sider in the day of adversity not to humble ov.r- 
teh'ib under his mighty hand& not to stoop and 
yield to God, but to think, or say, of our afflic¬ 
tion, that it cannot be helped, there is no reme¬ 
dy, it is common and ordinary, and the like ; 
this is to despise,the chastening of the Lord ; 
take heed of this. But yet we must take heed 
too, that under the pretence of being sensible of 
the hand of God, and of his strokes upon us, that 
we do not fall into the other extreme, of being- 
weary of his chastisements, and of despondency, 
and fainting under his corrections, we must be 
careful that we do not let cur hearts be troubled. 

Que>.t, But is it possible that we should be af¬ 
flicted, deprived of liberty, of estate, of loving 
relations, of the desire of our eyes, 1J and of the 
delight of our hearts,^ (for such in a most emin- 

* Mich. Vi 9 f Icaiah xxvi 11 16 

{ Eccles. vii 13 14, % J ames iv 9 10. 

|j Ezsk, xxiv 16. % John vi 68, 

B 



14 


ent manner was Jesus Christ to his disci pies. He 
was the desire of all nations,*) and not to be troub¬ 
led at our very hearts ? Can we behold our Ben¬ 
jamins, our Sarahs, our Rebeccas, our Josephs, 
&c. taken away, our dear husbands, our loving, 
faithful, tender wives snatched a ay from us 
with a stroke, with a sudden stroke, to be in a 
moment deprived of such comforts, and in such 
a time too, in an evil time, in a sad and suffering 
time, when such helpers would sweeten our suf¬ 
ferings, and help to bear our burthens, would 
give us sweet counsel, and uphold us in the way 
to God ? What, is it possible such knots should 
be untied, and so suddenly ; such flowers crop¬ 
ped off,cut down ; such sweet friends removed 
from us, as lay once in our bosoms, and sent to 
the chambers of darkness, sealed up in the dust, 
made silent in the grave, to see their sweet fac¬ 
es no more, till the heavens be no more ? Is it 
possible, I say, in such cases, not to be troubled ? 
Or, if it be possible, is it necessary, or is it attain¬ 
able ? May we arrive to such a temper, may 
we get such a calm, quiet, tranquil, and submis¬ 
sive frame of spirit ? It is admirable, but is it 
attainable ? 

I answer, we must not despise the chastening 
of the Lord, as was noted before ; we must nob 


* Haggai ii. 7. 


15 


be as stocks or stones, altogether insensible of 
the hand of God upon us : No, we must be sen¬ 
sible we must lay those things to our hearts, 
and consider the work of God :* such losses, 
and of such are to be lamented,! they will be 
found wanting ; their relations will find them 
wanting ; their families will find them wanting; 
the poor will find them wanting ; and the 
church also. David laments the loss of Jona¬ 
than ;t and the disciples of Lazarus. Lawful 
it is then, to be affected with the deaths and 
departures of our dear relations and friends, and 
moderately mourn for them ; but our care must 
be, that we suffer not nature to work alone with¬ 
out grace ; for then it will soon go beyond its 
bounds : nature must be restrained and bounded. 
It is moderate mourning that is lawful. Mourn 
we may, but not as those that have no hope,§ for 
those thajt sleep in Jesus, they being safe and 
happy : for, Jf nve believe that Jesus died , and rose 
.again ; even so they the! deep in Jesus, will God bring 
with him. Troubled - car rot but chuse be in 
such cases, and unc< such strokes ; but we 
must net let our hearts t e trout ltd, saith our Lord. 
And what this imports you shall see by ana by. 
It is trouble of heart, that there is forbidden . 

•f isalvii 1 
1 i ness iv 14 


* Eccles V'i 2 
| bam xu 4 


but, what is it, that will prevent or cure this 
heart-trouble ? Our Saviour answers in the next 
words ; Ye believe in GW, believe also in me : In 
my Father s house are many mansions , &c. 

1. An evil disease, or spiritual distemper in¬ 
timated and prohibited, to which the disciples 
of Christ are incident arid prone in times of afflic¬ 
tion ; and that is, trouble of heart. This may 
seize you, but take heed of it, labor against it. 
As if the Lord had said, I know it will be a cut¬ 
ting, a killing thing to you, to part with me, 
your dear Lord and Master ; but part with me 
you must; and take heed of this indecent distem¬ 
per of heart-trouble : Let not your hearts be troub¬ 
led , saith our Lord Jesus. 

2. The best preventative of, or remedy for, 
this spiritual distemper proposed and enjoined : 
Ye believe in God , believe also in me. As if our 
Lord had said, Surely you believe in God, why 
then are your hearts troubled ? Cannot your 
faith in God support you, if you act it upon 
him ? But if that cannot, then act your faith 
also on me : Believe also in me . Set your faith 
on work on me. Believe, that I love you, that 
when I leave you, I wilt not leave you comfort¬ 
less ; Ikvrll send the ccmjcrter unto yen, and he shall 
abide with yon forever.* Therefore, let not your 

J-ohn xiv. 16 If. 


11 

hearts be troubled. Relieve in me ; I must leave 
you, and I and you must part ; but, believe 
where I am going, and let the consideration o t\ 
that quiet you, and Comfort you : In my Father's 
hou-.c are many mansions .* There is a better, a far 
better condition for you above, than that you 
are in here ; for, here you are tossed up and 
down, from place to place, and are exposed to 
many straights. I myself here on earth, have 
not a house wherein to lay my head ; but in my 
Father's house are many mansions. There is an 
house above, not made •with hands , eternal in the 
heave ns. f When once you come thither, you 
shall remove no more ; there are many mansions, 
room enough for you all, and for the innumera¬ 
ble company of angels and saints : therefore, Be¬ 
lieve in me ; for these things are most true that I 
tell you. And believe aho. That I go to prepare 
a place for you : I go to take possession of those 
celestial mansions, of those everlasting habita¬ 
tions for you, in your name and stead ; while you 
arc here on earth, I shall prepare you for those 
mansions ; arid when I go from you, I will pre¬ 
pare them for you ; therefore, to prevent those 
heart-troubles which you are subject to because 
of my departure from you, and to fortify you 

* Matt, viii, 20* j 2 Cor, v 1* 

B 


23 


against them, (for I am solicitous for you ;) this 
is the remedy that I propose to you, and enjoin 
you to practise ; that, seeing you believe in God, 
believe also in me* Act your faith on me. 

From which words thus explained, I com¬ 
mend to your Christian consideration this gos¬ 
pel doctrine, viz. 

DOCTRINE. 

That the lively acting of true faith upon God and 
Christ, or upon God in Clnist, is the best preventa¬ 
tive of, and remedy against heart-trouble, under the 
greatest loss whatsoever : or—Faith act«d on God 
in Chrfst, is the sovereign cure ofheart-troub’e. 

Our Lord Jesus is very tender over his poor 
disciples; and having foretold them of the hard 
usage, and bad entertainment they should meet 
with in the world, losses and crosses, tribulations 
and persecutions ; he now leaves them some an¬ 
tidotes against distempers of mind ; some cordials 
against those faintings of spirit, and troubles of 
heart, to whioh he knew they, being flesh and 
blood, were subject ; and this in the text, is 
chief and principal : Let not your hearts be troub - 
led ; ye believe in God , believe also in me. This 
your faith will be your best remedy, your best 
cure. 

Poor believers are but princes in disguise here 


19 


in this world f* princes they are, Christ hath 
made them all so ; but while here below, they 
are in a foreign land, under a veil. It doth not 
yet appear what they shall be. f They have a large 
patrimony, but it lies indeed in a land unknown 
to the world, it is in terra incognita, if the ex¬ 
pression can be borne. The holy, the great God 
himself is their portion, their heritage ; God is 
their sure, their full, their lasting, their everlast¬ 
ing portion .% They are heirs 0 } a kingdom, § heirs 
of salvation .]| Heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ .*JI 
Yea, all things of this world are theirs.\\ All 
things are blessed and sanctified to them, and 
shall conduce to their spiritual and eternal wel- 
fare.Jt Yet notwithstanding all this, and al¬ 
though heaven and earth is the reward of godli¬ 
ness, and through the merits of Christ (as it 
were) the right of those that profess it, in the 
power of it ; ( Godliness having the promise of this 
life, and of that which is to come and, notwith¬ 
standing believers have a true title to ail the 
good of both worlds; yet may those poor (but 
blessed) saints be exposed to manifold tempta¬ 
tions and tribulations in this world ; they may 
have a dark, and sad, and stormy way of it to 

# 1 Pet. ii 9. Rev i»6. f 1 John iii 2- 
\ Deut. xxxii 5. § Psal- cxix 59- .Lain, iii 24. 

8 James ii 5 J H Heb. ii 18 ft Rom- vii# 4. 
4J 1 Cor-iii 28* §§lTim-iv8- 



20 


their Father’s house ; they may be stripped of 
all their earthly comforts, may be deprived of 
their liberty, estate, nearest friends and relations, 
as we read in Scripture, that such hath been the 
portion of the best saints : and upon this the peo¬ 
ple of God have been dejected and disquieted,they 
have desponded, their hearts have been troubled, 
and have thereby displeased their heavenly 
Father, who has declared, that all thing things 
shall work together for their good. 

Now, our Lord, in this text, forbids this dis* 
temper of the mind, and would not have his dis¬ 
ciples, who had God for their Father, and him¬ 
self for their Redeemer, and who had a title to 
such happiness in the other world, to despond,, 
jmd to be disquieted ; therefore he lays this 
charge on them, Let not your hearts be troubled ; 
adding the proper means to prevent this sinful 
malady of heart-trouble, that it might not seize 
on them ; or, if it had, to cure them of it, viz. 
Ye believe in God , believe also in me. 

The lively acting of true faith upon Gcd in 
Christ, is the best preventative of, and remedy 
against heart-trouble, under the greatest loss 
whatsoever. Which proposition 1 shall prose¬ 
cute, by the assistance of God’s spirit, and accord¬ 
ing to the measure of light and grace I have re- 



21 


ceived, and after this manner and method follow¬ 
ing : 

First, by way of demonstration. 

Secondly , of confirmation. And then to apply, 
and make an improvement of it for our use. 

1 By way of demonstration. Endeavoring to 
shew, 

I. That God’s choicest saints are in this world 
subject to ail kinds of troubles, losses, and afflic¬ 
tions ; and whence it is, and why so. 

II. That under those losses and afflictions, 
they are subject to despond, to be dejected, and 
to be troubled in their hearts. 

III. What this heart-trcuble is, that Christ 
forbids here. 

IV. How that believing in God and Christ, 
is the best means to prevent and cure this heart- 
trouble. 

I. That God’s choicest saints are liable to all 
kinds cf troubles, losses, and afflictions ; even 
the greatest, heaviest, and sorest ; as we read of 
Job, David, and others. 

God had one Son without sin, but no Son 
without suffering. His only-begotten Son was 
a man of sorrows and the Holy Ghost assures 
us, that that if ye be without chastening , whereof all 


# Isa* 1 Hi. 


22 


are partakers, then ye are bastards, and net sons, Heb„ 
viii. 12. 

God’s children are liable to sufferings, wheth¬ 
er we consider them as men, or as Christians : 
as men ; Man that is born of d Woman, is fail of 
trouble .* As our relations and comforts increase, 
so do the occasions of trouble. God never ap¬ 
pointed this world to be the place of man's rest,f 
but of our exercise, and on’y a passage to anoth¬ 
er world ; and in this our passage we must look 
for storms and tempests ; if we can through 
mercy obtain a tolerable passage through this 
world, and a comfortable passage out of it, into 
that better above, we shall have cause to bless 
the Lord to all eternity. 

And much more as Christians must we expect 
troubles ; for a man is no sooner brought home 
to God, but he must expect to be hated by the 
world ,X assaulted by Satan, chastened by the 
Lord ; our own corrupt hearts will be often vex¬ 
ing us ; the old man, the flesh, thwarting all 
the motions of the new nature, lusting against 
the spirit .§ The lusts of the flesh wili be as 
pricks in our eyes, and as thorns in our sides ; 
we shall have enemies in our own houses. 

But this truth is so manifest in all the Scrip- 

* Job xiv 1 t Gen. xlvii9« J John xv 19 

Lukexxiilo- §Gal.vir, 


23 


tures, that I shall insist no longer on it, onl^ 
shall add this by way of use ; let all Christians 
prepare for affliction, by getting an interest in 
God through Christ ; by getting sin pardoned 
ami purged ; by getting peace with God and 
conscience ; by getting our hearts crucifixed to 
the world ; and then when troubles come, let 
ns bear them as Christians, 1 not murmur and 
repine, but in patience possess our souls ;2 not 
desponding, nor fainting ; remembering, that 
our troubles are no more, but infinitely less than 
we have deserved.3 He will not lay upon man 
mere than right A God perfectly understands our 
need, and knows our strength. Jf need be*ye 
are in heaviness. 5 He is faithful who will not suffer 
you to be tempted above that ye are able to bear. It 
is the wise, just, and gracious God, and our Fath¬ 
er that tempers our cup for us. Many earthly 
parents do not correct their children in measure, 
being ignorant of their nature and disposition ; 
and therefore their correction doeth them no 
good. Many physicians mistake the constitu¬ 
tions of their patients, and therefore may do 
them more hurt than good ; but God knows 
our need, and our strength, and so suits all hi$ 

1 1 Pet iv 16. 2 Luke 21 19. 3 Ezra 9 1,3- 

4? Job 31 13* 5 1 Cor, 10 lo» 





24 


remedies accordingly ; therefore let us be pa¬ 
tient, bearing our troubles with an equal mind, 
not suffering as per force, but willingly. It is 
said, Dan. iii. 28, that they yielded, their todies ; 
that is, cheerfully, to the fire. In our affliction 
let us search our hearts, and try our ways ;1 let 
us fly to him by prayer,2 and resign up our¬ 
selves to him,and trust in him, casting our cares 
and burthens on him.8 

Moreover, it is our wisdom, that while we 
are at ease, and have our comforts about us, let 
us look for troubles ; afflictions from God, as 
well as for God, are part of our cross which we 
must take up daily, Sickness, death of friends, 
loss of estate, &c. we must look for them, that 
we may not be surprised. 

He that buildeth an house, or a ship, doth 
not make this his chief work and care, that it 
should not rain upon it ; or that it should have 
no storms or tempests; for this cannot be pre¬ 
vented by any care of ours, but that the house 
or ship may be able to endure all without proj. 
udice. So must it be our care, to provide for 
afflictions ; for to prevent them altogether, we 
cannot ; but prepare for them we may, and 

1 Z-anv iii, 40. 2 James v- 13- 3 Matt- xvi- 24. 

Zuke ix 23- Psal- lv. 22- 1 Pet. v 7 - 


25 


must, as was hinted before; to treasure up God’s 
promises, and store our souls with graces, and 
spiritual comforts, and firm resolutions in God’s 
strength, to bear up, and hold on: We had 
Heed be well shod with the preparation of the gospel 
bf peace,* 

Most Christians are not mortified and crucifi¬ 
ed to the world, not acquainted with God and 
the promise, as they ought to be, nor so resolved 
to follow God fully as they ought, and therefore 
are so dejected and discontented when affliction 
comes : O! that we did count the cost, when 
we first begin to make profession of Christ ; and 
that we had such full persuasion of incompara¬ 
ble worth and excellency of the Lord Jesus, as 
that we could willingly part with all things for 
his sake ! O ! that we had such believing ap¬ 
prehensions of the wisdom, faithfulness, right¬ 
eousness, and mercy of God ; such sights of his 
reconciled face, and such tastes of his fatherly 
love to us in Christ, as that we could quietly 
submit to his holy will, and be well satisfied 
with all his dispensations towards us. So much 
for this first particular. 

II. The disciples of Christ, under the afflic- 
tions which they meet with in this world, are 

1 Eph. vi. 15. 

C 



26 


apt to be troubled in their hearts, to be disquiet¬ 
ed in their minds, to be dejected and discourag¬ 
ed, It was so with holy David, Bsal. xliii. 5. 
Why art thou cast down , 0 my soul ! Why art thou 
disquieted within me ! He was sensible of his 
afflictions, and that disquieted him, and cast 
him down. God’s people are subject to disqui- 
etments, because they are flesh and blood, sub¬ 
ject to the same passions, 1 made of the same 
mould, subject to the same impressions from 
without as other men, and their natures are up¬ 
held with the same supports and refreshments 
as others, the withdrawing and want of which 
affecteth them as well as others. And besides 
those troubles they suffer in common with oth¬ 
ers, by reason of their being called out of the 
world the world hates them,2 and are therefore 
more exposed to tribulation than others, and are 
apt to be cast down, and discouraged : this our 
Lord foresaw would befal his disciples after his 
departure from them ; and therefore lie coun¬ 
sels them against the same, let not your hearts be 
troubled . 

Quest . But it may be demanded, whence aris- 
eth this heart trouble, and disquietmcnt of mind, 
under afflictions ? 


1 James v. 17. 


2 John xv. 19, 




27 


* Ahs*w. There are many causes of it, which ia 
necessary for us to know, that so knowing the 
causes, we may the better find the cure. There 
are outward and inward causes. 

First, Outward causes. And the first way 
be God himself. He sometimes withdraws the 
beams of his countenance ; withholds the sense 
of his love, hideth his face from his children,! 
(which the saints in scripture so bitterly com¬ 
plain of, and so earnestly pray against) where¬ 
upon the souls, even of the strongest Christians, 
are disquieted. This caused trouble to the soul 
of Jesus Christ himself.2 When a poor child 
of God, together with his affliction, apprehends 
God to be his enemy, and that his troubles are 
mixed with God’s displeasure ,* and it may be 
his conscience tells him, that God hath a just 
quarrel against him,3 because he hath not walk¬ 
ed so holily, so humbly, so evenly, and so strict¬ 
ly with God as he might, had he been more 
watchful, careful, and circumspect ; and that 
he hath not renewed his peace with God as lie 
should and might have done ; and this sense of 
God’s displeasure, puts a sting into all his affiic- 

1 Isa. 45. 15. Job 34. 29. 2 John 12. 27. Ps. 

13. 6. Ibid 37. 9. Ibid 30. 7. Ibid 49. 17, 

3 Psalm 33. 3, 4, 5, 6 ,7- 




tions, and this caiiseth trouble of heart, and dis- 
quietment of mind. And justly may such a 
soul be troubled, that hath ever felt the joys of 
God's salvational the sweet influences of his love, 
that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious,2 
seeing that in his favor is life y and his loving-kindness 
is better than life itself Psal. xxx. 5. Ixiii. 3. 

Secondly , The devil is the cause sometimes of 
the heart-trouble of God’s children. For he 
being a cursed spirit, cast out of heaven, full of 
disquietment himself, labors all he can to trou¬ 
ble and disquiet others; to bring others (as 
much as in him lies) into the same cursed con¬ 
dition with himself : He being cast out of par¬ 
adise himself, envies us the paradise of a good 
and quiet conscience ; for that is our paradise 
until we come to heaven : And this paradise a 
poor child of God may possess in a prison, in a 
dungeon, on a dunghill. 

Two main designs the devil hath upon men ; 
the one is, if possibly, by all imaginable slights, 
temptations and inticements, he may keep men 
in a course of ungodliness, to hinder them from 
coming to Christ by faith and repentance, to 
deter them from his holy ways. And when 
he cannot prosper in this, but that unsearcha- 

1 Psalm H. 22. 2 P&alm 34. 8. 


29 


ble rich and free-grace takes hold of some poor 
souls, and they are snatched out of his hands, 
their captivity led captive by that mighty Re¬ 
deemer ; then all the devil’s is, to hinder their 
comfort, and to interrupt their peace, and to 
make their way to heaven as hard and uncom¬ 
fortable to them as possible, pursuing them 
with all dejecting and heart-troubling tempta¬ 
tions. 

Thirdly , Wicked men are also active in the 
troubling of God’s people ; they are, indeed the 
true troublers of God’s Israel. They load God’s 
people with reproaches: and there is nothing 
that the nature of man is more impatient of, 
than reproaches \ for there is no man so mean, 
but thinks himself worthy of some respect: now 
a reproachful scorn shews an utter disrespect of 
a man, which flows from the very superfluity 
of malice. Reproach hath broken my heart , saith 
David, Psal. xcvi. 20. And nothing more doth 
he complain of than reproach ; and nothing 
more are God’s people liable to than this. 
These are the causes from without. 

Secondly , There are also inward causes of heart- 
trouble and despondency: When God’s people 
are in affliction, most times that black cloud of 


c 



30 


melancholy also surrounds them, and darkness 
makes men fearful and dejected. 

There are many causes within ourselves ; as 
ignorance of God and of Christ, of the covenant 
of grace, of the name of God ;1 They that 
know God’s name, will trust in him, and not 
be dejected.2 Also, forgetfullness of God, and 
what he hath dohe for us. We forget God, 
when we are afraid of men.3 Our over-look, 
ing, and passing by the many comforts we en¬ 
joy, even while we are under affliction ; taking 
little notice of our mercies, but let them be all 
swallowed up in our miseries ; as Abraham be¬ 
cause he had no heir ;4 and Rachel, who said, 
give me children :5 though she had all other 
earthly comforts, yet the want of this one so 
troubled her, that the rest seemed nothing. 

It is an evil thing for us to be wedded to our 
wills. None more subject to discontent, than 
those who would have all things after their 
own way, and are mere strangers to self-denial* 
Likewise false apprehensions of things, cause 
heart-trouble; to think God hates us ; because 
he corrects us; and when he takes from us, that 
it is all in wrath. 

1 Exodus 34 6, 7 - 2 Psalm 9. 10. 3 Isa. 51- 

12, 13. 4 Gen. 15. 2. 5 Ibid 20. 1. 



31 


Another common cause is our own watch leSs- 
ness and carelessness, our neglect of keeping our 
hearts 1 and consciences pure and clean ; and in 
the time of affliction, these former neglects of 
duty come to our minds; then conscience a- 
wakes, and tells ns our former faults, and this 
brings trouble of heart.2 

Moreover, unnecessary scruples cause disquiet- 
ness, solitariness, idleness: when persons wilf 
not do what is needful, they are troubled with 
that which is needless ; and idleness tempts the 
devil to tempt us and trouble us: if we cannot 
find work for ourselves, the devil will make 
work for us. 

Also when we are guilty of neglecting doing 
good to others, as to our relations, not reproving, 
admonishing, or encouraging them as we ought, 
or have neglected to receive that good from * 
them that we might; but now they are dead 
and gone, and we can no more do any good to 
them; this has troubled many on their sick and 
death-beds.3 

Inconstancy, wavering in the ways of God, 
will also breed disquiet. And our inordinate 
love of creature-comforts, our setting our hearts 
on friends, estates, and the like, letting out one 

1 Prov. i. 23. 2 1 Kings 17. 13. 3 Gal. vi. 10- 





32 


4 


hearts on husbands, wives, children, &c. This 
is to build castles in the air, expecting content¬ 
ment in and from those things that cannon yield 
it. 

Also, multitude of worldly business, and too 
much poring on our afflictions, and forecasting 
the event of things. You see what a crowd of 
causes here be within ourselves of disquiet and 
heart-trouble. 

The third particular proposed, is, what is tnis 
heart-trouble which Christ here forbids his peo¬ 
ple, and that he would fortify them against ? 

Answer. This heart trouble is such a sense 
of evils felt or feared, as creates us to heart dis- 
quietment, dejection, despondency, depriving us 
of that tranquillity, peace and comfort which 
we had in ourselves, or otherwise might have. 
It is such a disturbance of our passions, such a 
storm and tempest in our spirits, as causeth in¬ 
ward motions, emotions and commotions of 
mind, putting all things in the soul out of or¬ 
der ; and it carries in it several evil things, as 
follows: 

First, Sinful sorrow, worldly sorrow. When 
h Christ had told his disciples that he would leave 
theni; and that after he was gone shey should 
be exposed to hard and heavy things from the 
'Wprld, bitter persecution for his name-sake ; then 


sorrow filled their hearts, John xvi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 
5, 6. 

God’s own servants, Christ’s own disciples 
may have their hearts filled with sorrow ; a- 
gainst this our Lord commands many preserva¬ 
tives in this sermon. The ground of this sor¬ 
row is from oursefves, from our own hearts, 
though Satan will have a hand in it, and it 
comes not from humility, but from pride; be¬ 
cause we cannot hive our wills, therefore we 
are discontented. We may thank ourYWesnofe 
only for our troubles, but for our over much 
troubling of ourselves in our troubles. If we 
ward and guard against this worldly sorrow, our 
troubles would not lie so heavy on us as they 
doji for as the joy of the Lord doth raise and 
strengthen the soul, so doth sorrow deject and 
weaken it : sorrow and grief doth lie like lead 
to the heart, cold and heavy, and sinks it down¬ 
ward still : sorrow contracteth and clraweth the 
soul into itself, from that communion and com¬ 
fort it might have with God and man; and it 
weakeneth the execution of the offices of it, be¬ 
cause it drinketh up the spirits, it melteth the 
soul,2 it causeth it to drop away. Yea, in this 
kind of heart-trouble, God’s own people are ma¬ 
ny times more excessive than others. 

2 Psalm cvii. 26v 


1 Nehemiahg. 10. 


34 


1. Because many times their burthens are 
greater, their temptations, desertions, trouble 
for sin greater ; as their joys are unspeakable and 
glorious, so their sorrows are sometimes above 
expression. Common natural courage will car¬ 
ry a man through other single afflictions : but 
sin is a heavier burthen than affliction, and the 
wrath of God, than the wrath of man. 

2. They have a greater sense than others, 
their hearts being tender by religion ; they have 
also a fearer judgment than others and see 
more into the nature of things than others*, they 
see a greater evil in sin, and in the displeasure 
of God than others : they value God’s favor 
more than others; therefore when he hides his 
face, they cannot but be troubled. They ob¬ 
serve more of the displeasure of God in afflic¬ 
tive providences than others do, and therefore 
they have more sorrow. 

3. They have more tender affections than 
others, the new heart is a soft heart: A stamp 
is sooner set upon wax than upon a stone. Psal. 
cii. 3. Ibid xxxii 4. Job xxx 30. Lam. v. 
A wicked man hath more cause to be troubled 
than a godly man ,* but he is not a man of that 
tenderness and sense, and therefore is not so af¬ 
fected, either with God’s dealings with him, 
or with his dealings with God. 


35 


Thus we find often in scripture good souls de¬ 
pressed with sorrow. David sakl, he was )ike a 
skin pottle in the smoke , all wrinkled and dried up. 
Read Psal . xxxviii. and xxxix. 2. When thou 
with rebukes dost correct man for sin f (that is, by 
sickness, death of relations, and other losses) 
thou makest his beauty (that is his outward 
man) to consume away like a moth ; whereas 
the beauty of the soul grows fair by affliction, 
but that of the body is blasted. Age, sickness, 
losses will make the beauty of the body to fade, 
but that of the soul to shine, 2 Cor. iv. 14. Tho y 
our outward man doth decay and perish , or inward 
man is renewed day by day. But for worldly sor¬ 
row ; that too often, not only weakeneth the 
body, but also causeth heart trouble. Amery 
heart doeth good like a medicine , but a broken spirit 
dridh the bones , Prov. xvii. 22. 

Quest- But is this worldly sorrow lawful and 
commendable ? 

Answ. No, surely ; for there are many evils 
in it, which we should avoid. As, 

First , Impatience and murmuring against 
God ; that is an effect of immoderate sorrow ; 
when our wills are crossed, we cannot bear it, 
for want of self-denial. 

Secondly , Quarrelling at instruments. 

Thirdly , Using indirect means for our relief. 


36 


It is better to pine away in our afflictions than 
to be freed from them by sinning. 

Fourthly , Desponding and distrustful thoughts 
of God. Is his mercy clean g*ne ? Will he be fa- 
vorable no more ? Psal. Ixxxvii. 7, 8. 

Fifthly , Questioning our interest in a God, 
merely because of the affliction upon us. Rev. 
iii 19. Judges vi. 15. If God be ’with us , nvhy is 
all tins befallen us ? Not considering, how hard 
soever God dealeth with his people, yet he lov- 
eth them, Heb. xii. 6. 

Sixthly, Sometimes atheistical thoughts do 
arise, as if there were no God, no providence ; as 
if it were in vain to serve the Lord. Psal. 
Ixxiii. 13. 

Seventhly, This worldly sorrow indisposeth 
to all good duties; it makes a man like an in¬ 
strument out of tune, or a bone out of joint ; 
which makes the body move both uncomely 
and painfully : It unfits for duty to God and 
man. 

Eighthly , It makes a man forget former mer¬ 
cies, and overlook present mercies ; all is noth¬ 
ing under present sufferings. Give me children, 
or else I die. 

Ninthly, It makes us unfit to receive mercies, 
. and to embrace the best counsels j such planters 


37 


will not stick, they refuse to be comforted, Psral. 
Ixxvii. 2. 

Tenthly, It disposeth us to receive any tempt¬ 
ation : Satan hath never more advantage than 
upon discontent. 

Eleventhly , It hinders beginners from coming 
into the ways of God. 

Twelfthly , It rejoiceth and hardeneth the 
wicked, and it grieves and damps the spirits of 
our friends. All these and many more evils, 
are in worldly sorrow. 

Therefore, this evil temper we must labor a- 
gainst, and not suffer ourselves to be dejected in 
sickness, contempt in the world, loss of friends 
and relations, loss of honor, and earthly interest: 
may we only think to be exempted from chas¬ 
tisements, whereof all God’s children are partak¬ 
ers ? Heb. xii. 10. And must God make a new 
way to heaven for us ? Or do we think it best 
for us to live here for ever, in ease and plenty, 
and honor, and never see a change ? No surely, 
it is in vain to think so : it becomethus betimes, 
to prepare for crosses. None so strong, lively 
and brisk now, but they shall shortly wither 
and decay. None hold their heads so high now, 
but they must shortly lay them down in the 
dust. We, and our dearest relations must part. 

It would be our wisdom, to turn the stream of 
D 


88 


our sorrow for losses and crosses, into Godly sor¬ 
row for sin, then it will run in its right chan¬ 
nel. Let our sins lie heavy upon us, and then 
our afflictions will lie light : let us grow weary 
of our sins, not of our sufferings. Matt. xi. 28. 
God doth not ifflct wittingly, nor grieve the chi dren 
ef wen. Prov. iii 11. Lam. hi. 88. Let us 
consider also, the real spiritual benefit of afflic¬ 
tions : God aims at our profit ; Heb. xii. 10. 
and in good time, in the best time he will send 
deliverance. And be sure, those that are not 
unmindful of their duty, God will not be un¬ 
mindful of their safety. 

But that w tlieh should mostly affect us, and 
make us take heed of immoderate worldly sor¬ 
row, is, to consider, that this kind of sorrow of 
heart, is God’s curse, imprecated on God’s ene¬ 
mies ; Lam. iii. 65. Give than sorrow of heart, 
thy curse. As Godly sorrow' is God’s blessing, a 
grace of God’s spirit, a fruit of the covenant, of 
grace, and a fruit Of faith. Ezek. xxxvi. 31. 
Zech. xii. 10. So worldly sorrow is God’s 
curse, and a bitter fruit of unbelief. They that 
sorrow for sin shall be comforted : Matt. v. 4. 
hut they that mourn immoderately for outward 
losses, there shall be none to comfort them. 
This is the first piece of heart-trouble which Je- 


39 


sus Christ hath forbidden. Let not your hearts 
he troubled ; that is, not filled, and overcome 
with worldly sorrow : whatever your losses and 
crosses be, let not your sorrow” g < beyond its law¬ 
ful bounds ; take heed, let not your hearts be 
troubled. 

Secondly , Another piece of heart-trouble is, 
sinful tear. And against this distemper also 
Christ counseileth his disciples ; Let not your 
heart betroub ed, nor et it be of raid , ver. 27. As 
if lie had said, let not that distemper of base 
slavish fear, seize your hearts. 

This fear is a passion, or rather a perturbation 
of mind, whereby, upon the sense of approach¬ 
ing evils, the mind is discomposed and disorder¬ 
ed, and the heart troubled and dejected. 

This fear is a tyrant where it comes, and it 
tyrannizes where it prevails : as Jobiv. 14, 5. 
We lead how it prevailed over that famous be¬ 
liever, the father of believers, Abraham, to his 
prejudice, and to the discredit of his religion ; 
who, through fear denied his wife once and a- 
gain, Gen. xii. and Gen. xx. And good Isaac 
was taken in the same fault, Gen. xxvi. This 
fear troubles men’s peace, and disquiets their 
minds, that they are said sometimes to be like 
the leaves of the forest ; and this fear is often 
forbidden to Abraham, Gen. xv. 1. and t© isaac, 


40 


Gen. xxvi. 24. And when Israel was in the 
greatest dangers that ever men were, they were 
forbid to fear, Exod. xiv. 13. Isa. viii. 12. 
chap. xli. 4, 32. Rev. ii. 10 . Fear none of those 
things which thou shalt suffer. Slavish fear troub¬ 
les the heart more than any thing. 

Object. But may we not fear God’s judgments ? 
Did not good Josiah tremble at them ? And did 
not holy David say, Psal. cxix. 120, J am afraid 
of thy judgments. 

Ans. Doubtless, it is our duty so to do : when 
we see the same sins abound, for which God 
hath executed his judgments in former times, we 
ought to lay them to heart, and to be affected, 
Jer. vii. 12. chap. iii. 7, 8, 9, 10. Luke xvii. 
26, &c. Remember Lot's wife , said our Lord. 
So, I. Cor. x. 2 Pet. ii. 9. Rom. i. 18. Dan; 
ix. 5. Zeph. iii. 6, 7, a remarkable Scripture. 

Although it went well with Nehemiah him¬ 
self, yet he had a sad resentment of the state of 
Jerusalem, Neh. i. 

God’s people have tender hearts. Wicked 
men have hearts of ^tone ; when God smites 
them, they are not grieved, Jer. v. 3. 

But we must distinguish of fear. 

First, There is a natural lawful fear, when 
evils are approaching to our bodies, or nam«s, or 



41 


friends, or the like, dangers are apparent, it is 
natural to fear. This was in the best men in 
the world ; it was in Christ himself, Mark xii. 
1 4, 15, Also it is said, He feared , and was sore 
amazed , Mark xiv. 33, yet without sin. 

Secondly , There is a lawful, filial fear of God’s 
judgments, which ariseth from the considera¬ 
tion of the evil of sin, and of God’s righteous¬ 
ness ; of his hatred of sin, and his wrath against 
it ; which fear produceth repentance, s lf-exam- 
ination, a turning to God with our whole 
hearts, through reformation, and an endeavor 
to secure ourselves in God's covenant, and to 
hide ourselves, Prov. xxii. 3. A prudent man 
j resecth the evil, and Judith himsef. A striving 
to get into Christ, and to get clear evidences of 
God’s love to us in Christ : 1 say, such a fear, 
that worketh these effects, is a great duty. 

Thirdly , There is a base slavish fear of ap. 
proaching evils, arising from our misapprehen¬ 
sions of God ; producing in us unworthy tho’ts, 
sinking into despondency, and inciting to mur¬ 
muring and impatience, and putting us upon 
sinful shifts, the use of unlawful means to pre¬ 
vent or escape dangers ; a fear of despondency, 
a vexatious, distracting fear, that drives from 
God, and unfits for service : A tormenting, dis- 


» 






quieting fear, that unsettles and discomposeth 
our minds, disturbs our peace, suspends our acts 
of faith, and disposeth us to diffidence, distrust, 
and impatience : this is the fear that Christ 
would not have his peoples’ hearts troubled 
with. 

Fourthly Another piece of heart-trouble, is 
care, vexatious, distracting care, which our Lord 
would not have his disciples trouble themselves 
with ; and therefore he useth so many power¬ 
ful arguments to dissuade them from it, Matt. vi. 
from verse 25, onward. Psal. civ. 21, 27, 28. 

\st t He assures us it is God that takes care 
for our bodily life, we trust him with that; how 
much more should we for food and raiment. 

‘Idlyy Saith he, your Father takes care for the 
fowls, and provides for them, Are ye nti much 
better than they ? 

Sdly, He clotheth the lilies, and will he not 
clothe you ? 

4 thly, You cannot, by all your care, make 
your condition better than God hath appointed 
it shall be, ver. 27. 

5th1y> Your heavenly Father knows you want 
all these things. 

Qthly y They that are ignorant of God and of 
his fatherly care and good providence, that have 


no God to care for them, they trouble themselves 
with those cares ; therefore you should not do 
so, who have an heavenly Father that dearly 
loves you, and looks after you. 

Ithly, You have the promise of the faithful 
God, to have all the necessaries provided for you, 
while you make it your care to serve, please, 
and trust in him. Ver. 23. All these things shall 
be added unto you. 

8 thly, We have no cause to be thoughtful for 
time to come, because every day brings evil 
enough with it; and therefore it is no wisdom 
to perplex ourselves with cares, ver. last. 

So again, Luke xxi. 34. Phil. iv. 6. Be care¬ 
ful for nothing. Mark iv. 19. Our lord also shews 
us how prejudicial such cares are to our profiting 
by the word. Luke vii. 12. Psal. Iv. 22. And 
expressly commands us, tora-rf our cares upon him , 
for he careth for us. 1 Pet. v. 7. 

Fifthly , Despondency of spirit, dejectedness, 
distrust,discouragement, are other pieces of heart- 
trouble. Such as was in David, Psal. cxii. 3, 4, 
5. cxliii. 4. xlii. 5. Casting down breeds dis- 
disquietment, because it springs from pride, 
which is a turbulent passion ; and every thing 
thatcrosseth and disappoints it,causeth a com¬ 
bustion in the mind ; when a man cannot ccm« 




44 


down, and stoop to that condition that God casts 
him into, then he is discontented ; and this 
comes from his pride. 

A Christian should be very careful to keep up 
his spirits, when his condition in the world falls 
down. Could we but bring our minds to our 
conditions, to like and be plea ed with our con¬ 
ditions ; as being certainly persuaded, that our 
present condition is best for us ; it would be all 
as good, as well, all a* comfortable to us, as if 
we could bring our condition to our minds ; for 
one of these must be done, or else we shall nev¬ 
er be free from heart-trouble while we live. 
Eitherour minds must be brought just even to, 
and suited and compliant to our conditions, be it 
sickness,poverty, shame, prison, &c. or, our con¬ 
ditions must be suited just even to our minds. 
We have a mind to health, to liberty, we 
must have them or we are troubled. Now 
this latter is wholly and altogether out of our 
power, we cannot add one cub:t to our stature . It 
is the Lord that appoints all our conditions for 
us: we cannot make our conditions happy, hon¬ 
orable, &c of ourselves, and without God ; but 
the former is in our power ; by the help of God’s 
spirit of grace, we may bring our minds to our 
conditions: 1 Tim. vi. 8. Heb. xiii. 5. it is an 
holy art, attained in the use of God’s means. 


45 


Contentment in, and with our condition, is the 
bringing of our minds to cur conditions, to lie 
even, and suitable, and square one with the oth¬ 
er ; and this is, as I said, an holy art, attainable 
by Christians, Phil. iv. II. St. Paul acl learn¬ 
ed it, I Tim. vi. 6, and so may other Christians. 
It is the suitableness between our minds and our 
conditions, that breeds quiet and content ; and 
if we have not quiet in our own minds, all out¬ 
ward comforts will do no more good, than a 
silken stocking to a scabbed leg ; or a golden 
slipper to a gouty foot. 

Now, it is only God that can, but never will 
(except in wrath) bring any man’s condition to 
his mind ; for then his condition should be chan¬ 
ged almost every moment ; so mutable is man’s 
mind : God will not bring the condition of the 
wicked to their mind (except in wrath, as was 
said ;) for, as their outward prosperity doth in¬ 
crease, so do their desires after more : and the 
wise man tells us, The eye is never satisfied •with see - 
vig. Eccles. iv. 8. Ibid. v. 10. And the more 
they have, the more they crave, They can never 
have enough. Isa. 1 vi. 11. And for the godly 
themselves, they are not so free from covetous¬ 
ness as they should be ; but still need to learn 
this lesson of contentment, and to be learning of 


46 


it all their days. And most commonly, if not 
always, God, by his grace, brings their minds to 
their conditions ; and not their conditions to 
their minds. And for this wise Agur prays, 
Prov. xxx 9. Two dangerous extremes he 
prays against ; the one is poverty, that would 
breed discontent, in that his mind would be be¬ 
low his condition, debased to vile and sinful 
practices,as stealing, &c. The other is riches ; 
that would breed discontent, in that his mind 
would be above his condition, and that would 
lift him up to base pride, and forgetfulness of 
God ; therefore he begs a suitableness and con- 
veniency between his mind and condition : 
Feed me nvith food convenient. 

Certainly, we shall never be free from heart 
trouble, till our mind be brought suitable to our 
conditions, and such a frame would prevent 
casting down in time of affliction. To like our 
condition, to be pleased and satisfied with it, 
and with the holy will of God in it; that is, to 
he content, coment with sickness and poverty, 
shame, prison, loss of relations and friends, &c. 
In a word, when our wills lie even with God’s 
will, (as in all reason they should) and our minds 
lie even with our conditions, then have we in¬ 
ward peace and tranquillity, quietness and con¬ 
tentment, and never till then : then sickness is 


47 ' 


a 3 good as health ; and poverty as good as rich¬ 
es ; and a prison, &c. And this is that blessed 
frame of spirit we must labor for, and we our¬ 
selves shall have the sweetness ot it other¬ 
wise, it is in a man’s mind, as it is w ith the bo¬ 
dy, w hen bones are out of joint, Psal. xliii. 5. 
there is nothing but pam and trouble ; but this 
bringing our-fninds to our conditions, is the set¬ 
ting of the bone again. Casting dawn our¬ 
selves, despondency, discouragement, which a- 
rise from discontent, are great pieces of heart- 
trouble. 

This distrust of God’s providence, is a grand 
evil, when we think we cannot live, unless we 
have a greater portion of earthly things ; and 
this sets us upon carking cares ; we know' not 
how we and ours shall be provided for, &c. 
Kow this we may cure, by casting ourselves 
tpon God’s promises. Ibid lv 22. 1 Pet. v. 7. 
Psalm xxx v. lxxxiv. 11. pjeb. xiii. 5. Let us 
cast ourselves on Gcd s providence : will he pro¬ 
vide for ravens, and clothe lilies, and neglect his 
own children i It cannot be imagined. 

Earthly things are but a va n shew ; they 
can give us no joy of heart, nor peace of con¬ 
science ; they cannot add one cobit to our stat¬ 
ure, nor one moment to our lives. 


48 


Moreover, this happy state of mind is attain¬ 
able. Psal. xxxix. 9. Fhil. iv. 12,13. Eli had 
it, 1 Sam. iii. 18, and David, 2 Sam. xv. 25, 
26 . It is the Lord , Jet him do <what seemeth him 
good. Therefore let us labor for such a spirit \ 
such a c ntented frame of mind is worth a king¬ 
dom ; without it godlines itself is not great 
gain ; it must oe labored for ; Paul said, he had 
learned it ; it was a hard lesson, but sweet whe„n 
learned. 

Fifthly , Persecution may cause heart-trouble; 
when men are offended. Matt. xiii. 21. When 
Peter was an offence to Christ, he was a troub¬ 
le to him. Our, .ord did on purpose foretell his 
disciples what persecutions they should under¬ 
go, that they might not be offended ; Matt, 
xxvi. 31, 56. forewarned, forearmed. It is a 
blessed thing not to be offended at persecution 
for Christ. He foretold his disciples, the night 
before his passion, that all of them should be of¬ 
fended at him that night ; John xvi. 1. which 
came to pass ; for one of them openly denied 
him, and the rest forsook him and fled. To be 
troubled at persecution for Christ’s sake, is to be 
the cross of Christ; and that he would not have 
his disciples to be by any means, Markviii. 38. 
Obj. But is it not said, Psal cxix. 165, Great 



49 


pence have they that love thy law, and nothing shall 
offend them ? How then came the peopled God 
to be offended ? 

I answer. They that truly love God’s la be¬ 
cause they love God such shall have peace 
with God, and with their own consciences ; 
and that is great peace, and nothing shall offend 
them ; that is, much trouble them, since they 
have peace with God, and with their own con- 
| sciences ; outward losses and cros.es are easily 
borne, they shall make no breach upon their in¬ 
ward peace. They that have this character of 
God’s children, will not be stumbled at God’s 
dispensations, let them be never «o cross to our 
desires ; Sam. xxdi. 5. became they have a 
God to fly unto in all their troubles, and a sure 
covenant to rest upon ; therefore the reproaches 
cast on them* and on the ways of (od, do not 
scandalize them, for they have found God in 
that very way which others speak evil of ; they 
are not so offended by any tiling that attends 
the way of God, as to dislike or forsake that 
way. Nevertheless, nve must take heed , that we 
be not offended. 

Sixthly, Temptations from Satan may cause 
heart-trouble and vexation ; Satan’s suggestions, 
his fiery darts, these tormenting thougnts w^ich 
E 



50 


he casts into the minds of Christ’s disciples, cre¬ 
ate to tiiem much disturbance and heart trouble. I 
So soon as any man is plucked out ol the devil’s 
hands, by the mighty power of Christ’s spirit, 
he falls upon him speedily with all his force, to 
trouble such a soul and vex it ; so that lie shall 
enjoy little peace if Satan can hinder it. So 
long as the devil keeps possession in the soul, 
Luke xi. 21, 22. he keeps all in peace, (a tad 
peace !) But when a stronger than he comes, 
and casteth out this strong man armeo. then Sa¬ 
tan rageth to recover his lost captive soul, and 
vexeth that soul with ail his temptations ; but 
let not this break your peace, nor cause heart- 1 
trouble. As Christ hath overcome the world, i 
and therefore bids his disciples to be cj good cheer , 
John xvi. 20, so hath he also overcome the dev¬ 
il ; he hath trodden this serpent , under ins feet 
already, and this Prince of Peace will tread him 
under your feet also shortly ; therefore, Let net 
your hearts be troubled. 

Seventhy, Desertion ; another, (and not the 
least) piece of heart trouble ; this may be the 
case of Christ’s disciples'. We read of the saints 
complaining that God had forsaken them ; and 
when he hideth his face, they cannot but be 
troubled. 

Sometimes Gcd doth but seem to hide his 



51 


face hvr>h xlix. 14, 15. When God takes 
their earthly comforts from them, and sivffereth 
sharp an! bitter afflictions to befall them; and 
though they cry unto him, he doth not remove 
them, then they think that God hath forsaken 
them. 

Sometimes God doth really forsake his peo¬ 
ple a-, to the seme of his favor, Isaiah liv. 7, 8. 
For sm 'U moment h vr l forsake?: thee. In a little 

-'h I hid my face from thee far a moment And 
this is either by withholding comfort from them 
whchtheycrv for, or by withdrawing that 
comfort from them which they had. Com¬ 
pare Psal. li. Ji,and Ixxvii. 1, 2, 3, 23. Yet 
here God supported and sustained hi> servant’s 
soul with grace : many times, when God’s peo* 
pie have least comf >rt, they have most grace, 
most humility, patience, self-denial, thirstiugs 
after God, heavenly-min ledness, &c. Psal. Ixxx. 
3, 7 19. Ibid Ixxxiii. 3. God's people may 
lose the sense of his love, but never lose his love 
for that is everlasting. But to lose the sense of 
his love is a grievous trouble to a gracious soul, 
that hath taste;! a id h it the love of God and 
his favour; for their great happiness is to have 
the favor of God : In his favour is life , arid his 
loving kindness is better then life : this is the joy 
of their lives [Psal. cxix. 13 Sj which David 


52 


so earnestly prayed God for. Now such as 
found this, must needs be troubled when they 
lose it. 

Two things chiefly cause God to hide his face 
from his people. 

1. When their hearts are too much set upon 
and carried out after earthly comforts ; fleshly 
delight, and confidence in earthly things, pro- 1 
vokesGod to hide his face : when a man smiles 
so much on the world, and gives it so much 
room in his heart God frowns, and is offended 
that the gift should be so much loved, and the 
giver so neglected and forgotten. 

2. When their hearts are let out too little- 
after God, and there grows a strangeness be¬ 
tween God and them, and they begin to grow 
cold, dull and dead in duty, then God with¬ 
draws and hides himself, Cant. 2, 3, 5, 6, com¬ 
pared. But no affliction like this ; this disqui- 
eteth and dejecteth the people of God indeed. 
And as all the candles in the world cannot make 
it day when the sun is set : so all the comforts 
in the world cannot rejoice such a soul, nor can 
there be any day in such a soul, unt 1 the sun of 
right eon ness arise there 'with healing hi his * wings. 
Mai iv. 2.. 

So much for this third particular, shewing 



53 


waht this heart-trouble is, which our Lord here 
forbids his disciples ; namely, worldly sorrow, 
sinful slavish fear distracting care, desponden¬ 
cy, dejectedness of spirit, distrust, offence at per¬ 
secution for Christ’s sake, Satan’s temptations, 
and spiritual desertions; all which may either 
be the causes, or the parts and pieces of heart- 
trouble, which must be avoided. 

The fourth particular to be opened, is to 
shew, that believing in God and in Christ, is 
the best antidote against this sinful heart-trou¬ 
ble •, Christ proposeth it as a special remedy. 

Qut-it. But how is it so ? 

Ans. To answer this, I shall endeavor to shew 
^the e three things. 

1. What this believing in God is which our 
Saviour here grants that they had ; Ye believe hi 
God 

2. What it is to believe in Christ : believe 
also in me. 

3. How that this faith acted on God and 
Christ, is the best remedy to prevent and cure 
heart-trouble, in all those several parts of it I 
have mentioned. 

1. What this faith in God is ? Briefly, the 
apostle tells us, L'eb. xi. (3. It is to believe 
that God is, that there is a God, an infinite, 
E 


54 


first, and best being ; to believe that God is 
that all that, which he hath revealed himself 
in his word to be, viz. that he is an all suffi¬ 
cient, almighty, only wise God ; a righteous, 
gracious, merciful God : an holy God, a loving 
God. He proclaims his name himself, Exod. 
xxxiv. 6, 7. The Lord, the Lord God , merciful 
and gracious , long-suffering , and abundant in goodness 
and truth , &c. To believe that he is wonderful 
in counsel, and excellent m working, Isa. xxviii. 
29. that he is the father of all mercies, the true 
and faithful God, the God of all grace, and of 
all consolation, 1 John iv. 16. 2 Cor. i. 3. 

Heb. xii. 9. James i. 17. with many more ad¬ 
mirable attributes of God doth the scripture 
furnish us, that we may build our faith, and 
place our trust in him, to prevent heart-trouble,, 
and to cure it when it hath seized on us. What¬ 
soever is revealed of God in his word, that true 
faith believes. 

Also, this faith in God is, to believe that he 
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him- 

That he being God all-sufficient, he is able to 
support, to supply, to deliver his people out of 
all their troubles ; and that he is willing so to 
do, as well as able, for he hath promised : and 
he is a re warder, 1 Cor. xv. 58. Rom. ii. 6, 7 * 



55 


JO, a God that will abundantly, plentifully re¬ 
ward all his suffering ones : Great shall be their 
reward in heaven, Matt. v. 12. And to believe 
God to be a rewarder, is to lay hold on his cov¬ 
enant, wherein he promiseth so to be : I will be 
thy God , thy shield , and thy exceeding great reward, 
Gen. xv. 1. The sum of the covenant is, I 
will be thy God. What is that but this, I 
will do all that to thee, and for thee. I will be 
a sun and shield to thee< 2 Cor. vi. 17. Psal. Ixxxiv. 
12. I will give thee grace and glory, and will 
withhold no good thing from thee. I that am 
the infinite, first, and best being of all things, 
the living fountain of all mercy, the original of 
■all power and goodness ; I will be a God to 
thee, thy God, thy Father, if thou wilt take 
me for thy God, and place all thy happiness in 
■me, and wilt become my servant, and give up 
thyself sincerely to me, to serve and obey, to 
love, fear, and trust me only. This is to be¬ 
lieve in God, to accept of God for our God, and 
yield up ourselves to him to be Ins people, 
3sa. 1 vi. 46, to choose the things that please 
tiim ; to give our hearts and become his serv-' 
•ants, as Devit. xxvi. 17, 18. And so God pro¬ 
posed himself to Abraham when he called him, 
'Gen. xii. 1, 2, 3, as a rewarder; and more frit- 


56 


ly, Gen. xv. 1 , / am thy shield , and thy exceeding 
great reward ; and so Abraham’s faith was to 
act on God, so manifested ; and, Gen. xvii. 1, 
I am God all-sufficient ; all sufficient to support 
thee in thy way and work, and all sufficient to 
reward thee in the end, therefore be thou up¬ 
right and faithful, Prov. xi. 18. Psal. lviii. 11 ; 
let not thy heart be troubled, whatever dang¬ 
ers and difficulties thou meetest with in thy 
way and work, and what losses soever thou 
sustained for my sake, believe, Abxaham, I am 
God all-sufficient ; I will sufficiently reward thee, 
thou shalt be no loser by following and serving 
me. Also Moses’s faith, had an eye to the recoin- 
pense of reward, Heb. xi, 26. And that you 
may see that this is not legal and mercenary, 
our Lord Jesus proposeth this as an encourage¬ 
ment to his people, Matt. v. 12 , Great is your re¬ 
ward in heaven. And he himself took encour¬ 
agement from it, as Heb. xii. 1, 2, For the joy 
that was set before him , &c. 

So that this is to believe in God, to believe 
that God is really and truly, he is all that which 
he revealed himself to be, and to believe that he 
is a re warder, &c. This faith in God, Christ 
took for granted that his disciples had ; Ye be¬ 
lieve in God : Ye believe that Godis, and that 


57 


he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
him. And if ye believe this, let not your hearts 
be troubled ; be not afraid nor dejected, but act 
your faith in God, and seriously consider what 
God that is in whom you believe; and believe 
also your interest in that God, that he is your 
God ; this God all-sufficient is your God, you 
will have no cause to be troubled : Your acting 
of faith on God, your God, will prevent and 
cure your heart-trouble, and that these several 
ways. 

First more generally. 

Fie that believes in God as his God, believes 
God is always present with him, ascording to 
his promises, Isa. xli. 10. Ibid xliii. 2. Heb, 
xiii. 5. In the worst times God is present 
with his people* And can there be any cause 
of heart-trouble to such souls as have always the 
presence of God with them, whose presence 
makes heaven, and in whose ‘presence is fulness of 
joy , and at whose right hand are pleas ures for ever¬ 
more ? Psal, xvi. 11. Surely, beloved, this will 
prevent heart-trouble, when a soul can act his 
faith, and firmly believe it. God is always 
present with his people, and that for gracious 
purposes, (and not as a bare spectator ;) to pro¬ 
portion and measure out their afflictions to 


58 


them, that they may not be above their strength, 
nor more than need, 1 Cor. x. 13. All the af¬ 
flictions of God's people are measured by the 
hand of a most wise, most merciful, and gra¬ 
cious God : all the malice of men and devils 
cannot add a drachm to the weight, nor a drop 
to the measure, beyond God’s appointment. 
He is present to order and fix the time of our 
sufferings. 1 Pet. i. 6. Isa. xxvii 8, it is an 
hour of temptation : it is our loving Father that 
sets up the glass of the time of our troubles ; he 
appoints their beginning, their duration, their 
e:d ; he holds the glass in his own hand. All 
the powers on earth cannot bring trouble on 
us, till the hour come, till the appointed time, 
nor continue our troubles longer than his time : 
The rod of the wicked shah not red on the ot of the 
righteous , Psalm cxxv. 3 Gcd is present to mix 
some comforts 4 with the cross, thereby to allay 
the bitterness of it ; present to support the soul 
with inward strength, Psalm cxxxviii. 3 77/cm 
strengt henest me with trength in vy soul : Present 
to sanctify afflictions for good, and at lei gth, 
in his good time, which is the best time, when 
he hath perfected his own work in his people, 
he is present for their full deliverance. 


* Rev. iii. 10. 


59 


A* true believer in God hath always a God to 
go unto. O what a comfort, what an happi¬ 
ness is that ! he dwells in the love of God, as 
well in affliction, as out of rt; he may be cast 
out of his happy condition in the world, but 
never out of the favour of his God : This, be¬ 
lieved by us, will cure heart-sorrow, heart-fear, 
heart-care, ail despondency, dejectedneas, dis- 
quittments, and distractions whatever. Faith 
acud on God, the almighty, all-sufficient God, 
■and our God, always present with us, is the 
sovereign antidote against, and the best cure of 
all heart trouble, Psalm cxhii. 1, 2, 3, 4, there 
are the Psalmist’s trouble* ; and verse 5, there 
is his cure ; 1 ci ted unto thee , 0 Lord; thou ait 
my refuge and my portion m the land cj the living. 
So I salm cxliii. 4,6,8, his spirit was over¬ 
whelmed with trouble; but he cried to God, 
and trusted in him, and that w as his relief. 
His trusting mGod wa* an high exerciseol his 
faith, I’salm xxv. 15, 16, i7. Ibid xxxi. 12, 
13 . This kept David from sinking under his 
great distress, 1 bam. xxx. 6, He encouraged him¬ 
self in the Lord. Jus God. 

Thus in general. 

More particularly, 1 shall endeavor to shew", 
what there is in God that a believer’s faith 


60 


feteheth virtue from to cure his heart-trouble in 
his greatest distress, even under the loss of the 
personal presence of his best and dearest friends 
on earth ; for such was like to be the case of 
the disciples in the text. 

First, That in God which faith looks unto 
and feteheth comfort from, is, his sweet and 
gracious nature. God is love, the very element 
of love, 1 John iv. 16. and his gracious name, 
which discovers his nature, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 
The Lord gracious and merciful When he gives 
to his people, he gives in love ; when he takes, 
he takes in love. Now when a soul believes 
that all is from love, he is supported. When a 
man can believe that all his troubles come to 
him from the Father of mercies, and his Father 
in Christ, he cannot but bear them patiently. 
Ye believe in God, saith Christ. Ye beiieve 
tha* God loves you, therefore iet not your hearts 
be troubled. 

Quest* But how shall I know that God loves 
me, when he afflicts me ? 

I answer, When we can discern that we have 
received any spiritual benefit by an y affliction, 
we may certainly conclude, that the love of 
God was in that affliction, Heb. xii. 6. 10. 
Fury is not in God towards his people, Isaiah 


61 


xxvi. 4. Deut viii. and he intends nothing hut 
our profit ; all his designs are for our good, to 
purge away our sins, Job xxni. 10, to wean us 
from the world, to draw us nearer to himself, 
to humble us, to try us, and to conform us to 
Christ, 2 Cor. iv. 17, to prepare us for glory, 
&c- Now seeing God’s designs are so much 
for our good, we must conclude, that all our 
afflictions proceed from his love; and when we 
find any of those designs accomplished in us, 
and on us, and that we have received real spir¬ 
itual good by them, we ought to be strength¬ 
ened in our belief, that God hath corrected us 
in love ; so that faith acted on the love of God 
in our afflictions, will prevent or cure our heart 
trouble. Our Lord told his disciples, that the 
Father had loved them , John xvi. 27. 

Secondly , Faith acted upon God’s glorious at- - 
tributes, will fortify against heart-trouble. 

Firstl Upon his all-sufficiency. Ye believe 
that God is all sufficient,* in and of himself a- 
lone; every way able to supply all wants, to 
make up, and repair all losses, to satisfy all de¬ 
sires, to sustain under all burthens, and that 
without all earthly comforts: for, how else are 

* Gen.xvii. 1> 

F 


62 


the saints in heaven ’ appy, who have none of 
these earthly enjoyments ? Ye believe this, act 
your faith on it: he must needs be all sufficient 
who made the world, and all things in it, and 
upholds it to this day: he that owns all things, 
and is possessor of heaven and earth, he it is, 
that is your God, your Father ; act your faith 
on him, and be comforted. 

Secondly , He is almighty ; you believe this. 
So Christ hath told his disciples, dll things are 
possible to God. He can break the hardest heart, 
and can bind up the most broken spirit; he can 
make up the greatest loss. H e are kept by the 
mighty power of God , I Peter i. 5. Oh ! how 
safe is that man, that is in the love and cove¬ 
nant, and that lies in the arms and bosom of 
the Almighty God, Deut. xxxiii. 27. Jo ix. 12. 
He can bring light out of darkness, and make 
the greatest loss to prove the greatest gain.* 
He hath the keyes of the grave. To him belong * 
the issues from death , Gen. xviii. 14. All power 
belongetli to him ; nothing is too hard for 
him. 

Thirdly , His absolute sovereignty and supre¬ 
macy : all souls are his, Eze-k. xviii. 4. He 
gives, he takes, who can hinder him ? May he 
Matt, xix.26. 



63 


not do with his own what pleased him ? Ye 
believe this. Hath he not a right in all the 
works of his hands ? May he not dispose of all 
as he will ? 

Fourth v. His unchangeableness. God is in one 
mind, Job xiv. 5, the thoughts of his heart stand to 
all generations. He sets bounds to the sea, to 
the life of man. and to all the comforts of life ; 
the number of his months is with cod. Job 23. 
13, 14. Believe this. 

Fifthly , His wisdom. God is only wise, the 
fountain of wisdom.' He doeth all he doeth in 
infinite wisdom. He is wise in heart, and 
worketli all things according to the counsel of 
his will. He knows what is best for us; when 
to give, when to take, and what will do us 
most good. Believe this, and let not your hearts 
be tro bled. 

Sixthly. His righteousness. All his ways are 
just and £qual : yea, when clouds and darkness 
are round about him, (his providence towards 
us dark) yet then righteousness and judgment are 
the habitation of his throne. God, the judge of the 
world, can do no wrong. Believe this of God, 
and it will quiet your minds. 

' Lastly , His faithfulness. In very faithfulness 
, thou hast afflicted me, saith holy David, Psalm 


64 


cxix. 75. He bath promised, he vvil withhold 
no good thing from his people:* Now he sees 
and knows that afflictions are good for them, 
good for their souls ; his daily rod is good for 
their souls, as his daily bread is good for their 
bodies. Therefore he brings afflictions on them, 
and so makes good his promise to them. O ! 
believe this, and let hot yo.'r hearts be troubled. 
Certainly, faith acted on God’s attributes will 
support under the greatest strokes, and most 
grievous losses. ' "' '• y V 

T/rrdly , Faith acted on the covenant of 
grace. G*d’s everlasting covenant will help to 
support under trouble. Ye believe in God; that 
God hath made a covenant with you, to be¬ 
come your God, Jer. xxxi. 33, Ivoill be your God, 
and ye shall be my people. This is infinitely 
more, for God to become our God, to give him¬ 
self to us, than if he had said, 1 will give you 
crowns and kingdoms, sons and daughters ; 
when God saith, / will be your God , he saith, I 
will be all that to you, and I will do all that 
for you, and bestow all that upon you, which a 
God can be, or do, and which shall make you 
most happy for ever. I will give you new 
hearts, give you my spirit ; I will give you 


\ 


* Psalm Ixxxiv. 11. 



grace here, and glory hereafter. This acting of 
faith in God’s covenant, supported David in 
his greatest troubles, 2 Samuel xxiii. 5, a nota¬ 
ble text : when the Lord had made breach upon 
breach in his family, this comforted him, that 
God had made ninth him an everlasting covenant . 
That he was in covenant with God ; that God 
was his God in covenant : this balanced all his 
losses, and repaired all the breaches made in his 
relations ; though his family was wasted and 
blasted, this answered all, that henvas in covenant 
with God. y > 

This is the language of faith ; if God be my 
God, if 1 be his child, born of him, reconciled to 
him, pardoned, justified, sanctified, in covenant 
with him, why am I troubled, though he give 
me neither health, nor wealth, nor friends, nor 
relations ? Have I not enough, in having God 
to be my God ? Is not God more than all ? But 
if God be not my God, 1 have cause enough to 
be troubled then, considering the danger I am 
in ; and my trouble for this, should swallow up 
all other trouble. For surely, either God is 
mine in covenant, or he is not ; if he be mine 
incovenant, then, though he break my family, 
make breaches upon all my earthly comforts, 
he will not break his covenant, Ps. lxxxix. 



06 


S2, and so long I am well enough. If he leave 
me neither son nor daughter, if he strip me of 
friends, estate, liberty, health, &c. yet he re¬ 
mains my God still ; and so long it is well e- 
nough ; it cannot be ill with a man so long as 
cod is his: ye believe this. 

Fourthly , Faith acted upon the word of cod, 
will support the soul. Ye believe God’s word, 
the word of truth, Psalm cxix. 50, This is my 
comfort in my affliction , thy word hath quickened me. 
So verse 92, Had not thy law been my delight , J 
had perished in my affliction. 

First , Consider the word of precept ; as, in 
the text, it is Christ’s command, Let not your 
hearts be troubled; many such commands we 
have in scripture, as, Hot to fear , nor be cast 
down ■: sorrow not as those who have no hope 1 
Thess. iv. 13, 14. and such-like : now, faith ap¬ 
plies such commands to the soul; I must not 
be troubled in my heart, God forbids it. Why, 
must we not profane the sabbath, nor swear, 
nor lie, &c. but because God hath forbidden 
these evils ? So here, God hath forbidden us to 
be troubled, and hath commanded us to be qui¬ 
et, patient, contented, submissive to his will in 
all his dealings ; thus we should urge God’s 
command on our souls; yea a we are command- h 


67 


cd to be so far from troubling ourselves, when 
afflictions befall us, as that we must court it alb 
joy when we ftU into divers temptations ; 1 Pet. iv. 
13. and to rejoice in sufferings ; for, Blessed is the 
pian that endureth temptation , James i. 12 . 

Secondly , Consider the word of promise : ma¬ 
ny exceeding great and precious promises are in 
the word of God, which are as a full feast for 
faith to feed upon. God promiseth to be our 
God ; to be with us in the fire, and in the wa¬ 
ter ; to support and sustain us ; Isa. xli. 10. xliii. 
2. to lay no more upou us, than he will enable 
us to bear : 1 Cor. x. 13. That all things *hall 
work together for our good, Rom. viii. 28, and 
what can we desire more ? There is no trouble 
that can befall us, but we may find a promise 
suitable to it : and faithfu. is he that hath promised, 
who also will do it. 1 Thess. v. 23. And why 
hath the great God so wonderfully condescended 
to poor creatures, as to make so many sweet 
promises, which are recorded in the holy Scrip¬ 
tures, but for this ; that the heirs of promise might 
have strong consolation ; Heb. vi. 17. and that 
their hearts might not be troubled ? 

Thirdly , The word of threatening, Matt. x. 
37. He that leveth father or mother , son or daugh¬ 
ter. (so husband or wife) more than me, is not war* 


68 


thy of me, saith Christ. Now, by our immoder¬ 
ate sorrow for the loss of these, we manifest our 
immoderate love of these : we should consider, 
that when these are removed, that Christ re¬ 
mains ours still, and with us still : our relation 
to him is not broken ; and Christ will be in¬ 
stead of all, and better than all to us ; and this 
should keep us from heart trouble. 

Fourthly , The examples of God’s saints in the 
world. We should consider also, what a fa~ 
mous example is Abraham, who was content to 
part with Isaac at the command of God ; his 
only son, the son of his old age, the son of the 
promise, in whom all the nations of the earth 
were to be blessed ; yea, content to lay his own 
hands upon him, to slay him, and burn him : 
but when he was tried, God spared him. Gen. 
xxii. 2, 12. The way to keep our earthly com¬ 
forts, is to be willing to part with them, when 
God calls for them. So hli, when very sad tid¬ 
ings were told him ; It is the Lord , said he, let 
him do nvhut seemeth him good. 1 Sam. iii. 18, So 
Aaron, when that heavy stroke fell upon him, 
that both his sons were struck dead upon the 
place for their sin, and it may be in their sin 
too. it is *aid A,iron held his peace. Levit. x. 3. 
So Job, stripped of all his friends at once, the 


breath of his wife was strange to him. And David 
complained, that lover and friend was put far 
from him. Now, we should consider these ex¬ 
amples & set faith at work on them, and know, 
that it is our duty to be followers of them , who 
through faith and 'patience inherit the promises , Heb. 
vi. 12. 

Fifthly , The word of experience. David tells 
us his expedience, and saith, It was good for him 
that he h id been afflicted. And many Christians 
living, can and do bless God for their affliction ; 
and that God, by taking away their relations 
from them, he made more room in their hearts 
lor himself, and communicated more of fiimself 
to their souls : thus by acting of faith upon the 
word of God, we may gain support, and be pre¬ 
served from heart-trouble. 

Sixthly, Faith acted upon the work of God, 
will support under heart-trouble, Eccles. vii. 13. 
Consider the work of God. Faith looks to the 
work of God ; who it is that kilieth ; who it is 
thattaketh away : who can stop, or mend, or 
hinder his work ? This quieted David’s heart, 
when the stroke of cod was heavy upon him ; 
I opened not my mouth because than didst it. Psal. 
xxxix. Q. 2 Sam. xii. 23. It is the Lord, he 


70 


hath done it. It is he that doth whatsoever he 

pleaseth. 

Seventhly, Faith acted on the will of God. 
Faith resigns up all to the good and holy will of 
God : so did our Lord himself ; Net my nvjll , but 
thine be done ; Luke xxii. 42. and so we pray 
continually, thy midi be done ; Matt. vi. 10. and 
therefore, when it is done, our hearts must not 
he troubled. 

Lastly Faith acted on the gracious ends and 
designs of God in afflicting us, and removing 
our earthly comforts from us, will prevent heart- - 
trouble. God hath holy and good ends, which 
faith looks unto ; God aims at our profit, as Heb. ; 
xii. 10. Such ends as these. 

1. cod’s end is to discover and purge away our j 
sins, Isa. xxvii. 9. By this shah the iniqu ty of ; 
Jacob be purged ; this u all the fruit to take anv&y 
his situ 

2. To try and exercise our graces, Job xxiii. 

10. 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. Rev. ii. 10. 

3. To crucify our hearts unto, and to estrange 
our affections from the things of this world, cal. 

11. 20. 

4. To draw our hearts nearer to himself; 
therefore many times God takes away our earthly 
comforts from us, because they had too much of 


71 


our hearts ; and because they lay between God 
and our hearts, and kept us at a distance from 
him. 

5. To bestow greater, and better mercies upon 
us. cod never takes away any darling comfort 
from his people, but his design is, to give them a 
better in the room of it ; as in the text, Christ 
leaves his disciples, in regard to his bodily pres¬ 
ence, because he would send the Comforter to 
them, which should abide with them furever, 
John xiv 16. 

6. To make them partakers of his holiness. 
Keb. xii. 10. 

7. To fit and prepare them for that far more 
exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 
17. These are God’s holy and good ends in af¬ 
flicting his people, unto which faith looks, and 
so supports the heart. 

Thus you see, how faith acted on God in these 
particulars, will prevent or cure all our heart- 
troubles : faith acted on the sweet and gracious 
nature of cod ; he is love, ail love ; on his glori¬ 
ous attributes, his all-sufficiency, his omnipoten¬ 
cy, his absolute sovereignty, his unchangeable¬ 
ness, his wisdom, his righteousness, his faithful¬ 
ness ; faith acted on cod’s gracious everlasting 
covenant, on the word of God, on the word of 


f precept, of promise, of threatening, of example, 
of experience ; and faith acted on the work of 
God, on the will of God, and on his holy ends in 
all his chastisements. 1 say, faith acted on cod 
will exceedingly support under all trouble. Let 
not your hearts be troubled ; ye believe in God. So 
much for this first particular : And before I en¬ 
ter upon the second, I shall make some short 
application of this. 

APPLICATION. 

First, It follows hence, that heart-trouble un¬ 
der the afflicting hand of God, argues the weak¬ 
ness, if not the want of faith. All those sorts 
of heart-trouble, and the parts of it "which I 
have mentioned, as heart sorrow, worldly sor¬ 
row, immoderate mourning, sinful fear, vexa¬ 
tious care, despondency of spirit, being offended, 
disturbance of mind, distraction, dejection, dis¬ 
couragement, and the like ; all these flow from 
the want of faith, or at least, from the weakness 
of faith in cod. We do not believe hi God : we 
see the causes of our troubles ; they are mostly 
in ourselves, even our unbelief. Whatever we 
profess, we do not believe in God : if we could 
hut believe in God, our hearts would not be troub¬ 
led. O 1 our want of faith j let us heartily la- 



73 


ment it, and cry to God for pardon through the 
blood of Christ. If our hearts be troubled, where 
is our faith in cod ? What doth God, and ail 
that is in God, signify to us ? What are we the 
better for all that infinite all-sufficiency, and 
goodness, that is in cod, if we do not act faith 
upon it ? Our heart-troubles would be cured, 
could we act faith on God as we ought to do. 

Immoderate sorrow then is very unbecom¬ 
ing beliefers in God. If we will prove our¬ 
selves believers in God, let us discharge our¬ 
selves from heart-trouble and let us draw our 
consolation from our hearts by faith, from all 
those comfortable considerations of cod, and 
from all those abundant excellencies that are in 
God : O let us labour for faith, and act it; let 
us live in the exercise of it, and then surely we 
shall find comfort. 

Secondly , Let us all labour to get an interest 
in cod by faith in Jesus Christ,'* that so we 
may be able to look upon God as our God ; and 
then we may claim an interest in all that cod 
is, and all rhat Gcd hath,f and so shall we have 
no cause of heart-trouble in any condition. For 
if God be ours, all his attributes are ours, his gra~ 

# Gal- iii. 20. 1 Sam. xxx. 6. 

G 


74 




cious covenant is ours, his word and promises 
are ours, Psalm 31. 14. All is ours ; therefore 
should we labour in this above all things, spen¬ 
ding all our thoughts, affections and spirits up. 
on this. O let us lay hold on God and his cov¬ 
enant ; let us choose him for our portion, and 
resign up ourselves unfeignediy to him, termi¬ 
nating and centring all our desires, hope, love, 
delight in him alone, placing all our happiness 
in him, and then commit all to him. Whom 
have I in heaven but thee ? and the - e is none upon 
tarth that I desire besides thee, Psalm 73. 2c$. 

The second question. 

Secondly , What is it to believe in Christ ? 
For saith he in the text, Believe aho in me : It is 
God in Christ that we must believe in ; not in 
God without Christ, not in God out of Christ, 
but believe in God in Chri t. 

Now, what this believing in ChrPt is, I shall 
endeavor to shew ; looking up to the Father 
of, and to the Author and Finisher of our faith, 
for light and assistance. 

1)1 S eneral • ^ is to believe all that which is 
revealed in the holy scriptures concerning 
Christ: to believe the record that cod hath 
given of him in his word, as I John v. 10, 11, 
3 2,13. To believe that Jesus Christ is the etel 




vol Sen of God; that he came out from the 
Father ; was made flesh ; Johni. 18- was bom 
of a virgin ; lived on the earth in the form of a 
servant, Heb. ii. 14, a poor despicable life; 
preached the gospel, working miracles, &c. that 
he suffered upon the cross, 1 Pet. ii. 2l. with 
all the sins of his people upon his soul and body; 
that he bore tlie curse of the law, the wrath of 
God, which was due to man for sin ; Isa. liii. 
that he died a most painful, shameful, and cru¬ 
el death, dying as a sacrifice, to satisfy God’s 
justice, to atone and paeity his wrath, to make 
our peace, and to reconcile us to God : Col. i. 21 , 
22, 23. that he rose again from the dead, a. cend- 
ed into heaven, to prepare a place there for his 
people ; that he sitteth at the right hand of 
God everlasting, to make continual intercession 
for us ; Acts i. Jonn xiv. 2, 3. Phil. ii. V, 8. 
Heb. vii. 25. and that he shall come to judge 
the world at the last day : and while he is ab¬ 
sent from us in person here on earth, he promis¬ 
ed to send his spirit the Comforter, into the 
world, to convince and convert all those which 
his Father had given him ; to call them by his 
word, to quicken, strengthen, stablish, comfort, 
and confirm them until he come again, t otafo 
them to hbnself, that where he is, there they may be 


<6 


also. John xvi. 1,2. Ibid xiv. 3. This is 
the record that God hath given of his Son ; 
that whosoever belie'veth in him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life. Ibid iii. 16, 36. Now, to 
believe in Christ, is to believe all this testimony 
of him. And also out of a deep sense of our sin 
and misery, and sight of Christ’s infinite excel¬ 
lency, all-sufficiency, and willingness to save 
sinners ; and upon his call to us in the gospel, 
to come unto him weary and heavy laden with our 
sins , John vi. 37. Matt. xi. 29. heartily willing 
to accept of the Lord Jesus upon his own terms; 
to take him for our only Lord ; to give up our 
whole selves, souls and bodies, to his blessed gov¬ 
ernment by his word and spirit in all things ; 
and unfeignedly and unreservedly to enter into 
covenant with him, to become his, and his alone, 
and his forever ; and to rely upon him for life, 
for grace and salvation ; this is to believe in 
Christ. John i 12. Col. ii. 6. Cant. iv. 16. 
Psal. ii 12. Thus believe in Christ, and let not 
youn hearts be troubled. The acting of this faith 
on the blessed Jesus, is a singular means to pre¬ 
vent and cure all heart-trouble, all heart-sorrows, 
cares, fears, vexations, despondencies, dejections 
and distractions whatsoever, that may arise in 
our hearts, by reason of any loss, cross, disap- 



77 


pointment, distress or affliction that may befali 
us. If we can but thus believe in Christ, and 
rest and rely upon him, and trust in him, our 
hearts shall not be troubled. 

£uest. But what is that in Christ which faith 
must act upon, to effect this cure of heart-troub¬ 
le w hen afflictions come upon us ? 

Am. buch-like things (as I shewed before) as 
are in God for faith to act upon, which are 
these that follow : 

First, Faith must be acted upon the loving, 
gracious, sweet nature of Jesus Christ. Our 
Lord Jesus is ®f a most loving and sweet nature ; 
he is love indeed ; the Son of his Father’s love, 
and altogether lovely. Cant. v. 16. Histhowghts 
of us who believe in him, were thoughts of love 
from everlasting. Jer. xxxi. 3. All his words 
aTe sweet, his mouth is most sweet. O what 
sweet language doth he give his church ! My 
dove, my love , my fair one , my sister , tiy spouse , &c. 
He loved us, end gave himself for us : Gal. ii. 20. 
loved us, and washed us in his blood. Rev. i. 6* 
He is one of our nature, our kinsman, our hus¬ 
band, our Father, our elder brother, &c. So 
that, if there be any love in the head of the 
members, if any in the father to the child, if any 
iri the husband to the wife, or in any near and 

G 


78 


dear relation, then sure there is love, strong love 
in Jesus Christ to all believers; for in him is the 
love of all relations, and therefore he expressetli 
it under all these relations. He calls us his 
friends : Ibid, he is of a most merciful nature, 
full of bowels of compassion, and of tender mer¬ 
cies. Luke xii. 4. It would be endless to ex¬ 
press the loving nature of Jesus Christ to poor 
helievers ; which, when a believer duly consid¬ 
ers and ponders upon, it cannot but support him 
under all heart-trouble. 

Act your faith on Christ as yours, John xv. 
your Jesus, he that died for you, he that sweat¬ 
ed great drops of blood for you in the garden, 
wrestling and grapling with the Father’s wrath 
for you, in your name and stead, there, and up¬ 
on the cross. Gal. ii. 20. Luke xxii. Con¬ 
sider, tha> this yeur dearest Jesus, now in glory, 
knows your spuls in adversity ; Psal. xxv. 16. 
Isa. Ixiii. 9. he seeth all the troubles of your 
hearts ; he sympatbizeth with you in all your 
afflictions ; his heart now in heaven, is touched 
nwth the feeling of your infirmities on earth, Heb. iv. 
He hath human nature still, though glorified. 
He feels our losses, crosses, pains, sorrows ; his 
heart, his most tender heart is affected ; O that 
we eould but believe this 1 and thus consider 


T9 


with ourselves : here I sit solitary as a widow, 
or widower, or childless, or fatherless, or friend¬ 
less ; my family is broken, I feel pains and sick¬ 
nesses: 1 am deprived of my liberty ; my sweet 
relations and comfortable friends are laid in the 
dust ; I have none about me to counsel or com¬ 
fort me ; I am brought low in the world, my 
estate is diminished, my honor and reputation 
lost, my pleasure gone, my flesh faileth me, my 
strength faileth, lovers and friends fail me, &c. 
Such complaints we are apt enough to make, 
and it may be, worse than these : my God hath 
forsaken me, he hides his face from me ; I am 
compassed about with temptations, sad, deject¬ 
ing, and distracting thoughts ; I am persecuted, 
banished from house and home, all my outward 
and inward comforts fail me. These have been 
the cases and conditions of God’s dearest ser¬ 
vants, as Job, David, <&c. But yet let not your 
hearts be troubled for all this; Ye believe in God; 
act your faith on God, yea, and act it on Christ 
also : believe in Jesus, look up by faith unto Je¬ 
sus. your dear Lord ; whatsoever, whomsoever 
you have lost, you have not lost yr'i r Jesus, 
your best friend, your heavenly husband ; you 
have his heart, his bowels towards you still; 
Job yii. 17. Psal. xxxiv. 15. you have his eye, 


his tender watchful provident eye upon you still; 
you have his ear open to your cries still ; yea, 
you have his everlasting arms underneath you, 
to sustain you still, Isa. xl. I P or else you would 
sink. Oh then, act your faith upon the sweet 
nature of Christ, as your head and husband.— 
€nn a mother forget her tucking child, t hit she should 
not have compassion on the son of her nvcmb ? Possi¬ 
bly she may : but can Jesus forget those whom 
he died for, and travailed for ? No, no, he will 
not hide his face for ever ; he will never forget 
his people. Your maker is your husband ; and he 
is the Father of mercies. 

[f we read these things, or hear them read, 
and do not apply them to eur own souls by 
faith ; if we do not meditate on them, and let 
them sink down into our hearts ; if we do not 
pray earnestly that the holy spirit would bring 
them home-, and lay them close to, and fix them 
upon our hearts, they will do us no good, yield 
us no comfort ; therefore meditate on them, ap¬ 
ply them, and act faithfully upon them. 

Secondly, We must act faith upon the many 
preciousriattributes of Jesus Christ; all which 
will afford to faith much matter of support un¬ 
der all our heart-troubles whatever. And these 
are exceeding many $ i shall mention only some,- 


81 


First, Jesus Christ is our educate with the 'Fath¬ 
er, 1 John ii. 1,2. One that undertaketh for 
us to plead our cause in that highest court of 
heaven : If a man be sued in law, or he accused 
of any crime in any court, it is a great privilege 
to have a solicitor there for him, ti at is skilful 
and faithful, and powerful with the judge in that 
court : Jesus Christ is such an advocate or solic¬ 
itor, for us in heaven ; Heb. vii. 25. he will 
plead our cause, and he is wise; he is the wisdom 
cf the Father ; Prov. xxiii. 11. 1 Cor. i. 14. 

Isa. vi. 9. he is a great counsellor, and the only 
counsellor ; none else can plead in that high 
court ; and he is most faithful, he is a merciful 
end faithjul high-priest in all things pertaining to 
God. Heb. ii. I 7. He appears for us in heav¬ 
en, Heb. ix. 24. When a man is indicted in a 
court, and hath none to appear for him there, 
he is in a bad case : but all poor believers are in 
a better case ; thev have a blessed advocate to 
appear in the presence of God for them : he con¬ 
tinually presents his blood, his sacrifice to the 
Father for them ; and it is his will, to have that 
sacrifice accepted for our justification and sanc¬ 
tification. Keb. x. 10. Christ prevails so with 
his Father, that he always heareth him, John 
xi. 40, Now, if we can act faith on this bless- 


82 


c-d advocate in heaven, who is there always ; 
pleading for us, ever living to make intercession 
for us, Rom. iih 25, presenting himseif before 
Codas our sacrifice and propitiation ; when men 
accuse us, and our own consciences, when we 
are deprived of our near and dear relations, dis¬ 
tressed with pains and sicknesses, pinched with 
wants and necessities ; I say, then for us to act 
our faith on this precious advocate at the right 
hand of God for us, interceding there for us, one 
who knows and feels all our misery, it must 
needs be a great support and relief to us, and the 
best remedy against cur heart-trouble : O that 
we could act faith strongly on this our advo¬ 
cate! 

To have a friend in heaven, and such a friend, 
so wise, so powerful, so faithful, so merciful, so 
sensibly affected with all our miseries, so tender, 
so able, so willing to hear and help us ; I say, 
this is infinitely better than all the friends that 
we had, or could have on earth : and this friend 
ever liveth, and maketh continual intercession 
for us. And as this is matter of comfort in case 
of suffering, so incase ol sin too. If ary wan sin> 
ive have an advocate nvith the lather, Jems Christ 
the righteous; «nd he is the pnpiti -tion for our s)ns, 
1 John ii. 1, 2. Faith acted on this blessed ad- 



83 


vocate, is the best remedy against heart-trouble, 
in ease both .of sin and suffering. 

Secondly , Josus Christ is bread from heaven ; 
the true bread for souls, the bread of life , the <wa- 
ter of life, John vi. 3^6, 48, 51. Now, wnen 
poor saints are fed with the bread of affliction, 
and with the water of adversity, let them look 
tip to Christ, and act faith upon him ; he will 
be living bread, life-giving bread, living waters 
to their souls, to revive their drooping, and to 
refresh their fainting spirits. By acting faith on 
this blessed Jesus, the fountain of living waterr, 
their souls shall be so satisfied, as that they 
shall never hunger more, never thirst more, 
John iv. 14. Ibidvi. 36, (that is, inordinately) 
after the things of this world. When your 
souls want strength to bear your burthens, 
want comfort in your distresses, act faith on this 
Jesus, this bread of life, this water of life, and 
you shall be refreshed ; you shall have joy and 
peace in believing, Rom. xv. 13. 

Thirdly, Jesus Christ is called the Sun of right- 
■eou nr.ss, and the bright Morning Star , Mai. iv. 3. 
Rev. xxii. 16. He is the fountain of righteous- 
mess and life, as the sun is of light ; he hath 
healing in his wings. He was wounded for our 
transgression!, that by his strips -we might be healfd. 




Isa. liii. 4, 5. Ibid lxi. 1, 2. Psal. ciii. 3. Ibid 
cvii. 20. He was appointed to heal the broket 
hearted , Luke iv. He will heal our backslidings 9 
Hos. xiv. 4. He is the great Physician ; he 
can heal all our spiritual and bodily diseases. 
His blood is an healing blood ; his spirit an heal¬ 
ing spirit; his promises healing promises. Ibid* 
cxii. 4. He hath all healing virtue in him ; lie 
is the true Brazen Serpent ; could we but act 
faith on this Jesns, we should be healed of all 
our diseases. Pie is the bright Morning Star. 
We are in darkness, clouds and darkness upon 
our spirits ; many dark providences befall us ; 
we see not our way many times, and know not 
what to do : now, let us act faith on Jesus, he 
will bring light out of darkness : we are under 
black fears and sorrows, and all is dark night 
sometimes witty us : but if we can look up to 
this bright Morning Star , he will enlighten our 
darkness, Isa. i. 10. he will shine upon our 
hearts, and scatter all those clouds, and give us 
a joyful morning. 

Fourthly , Jesus Christ is called, the captain of the 
Lord's hosts, J skua v, 15, and the captain of our 
salvation , Iieb. ii. 10 . He hath the command 
of all the creatures ; for he is head over all 
things, Eph. i. 21, over men and devils : Ail 


85 


jKnvsr it heaven and earth is his, Matthew 
xxviii. 8. O ! if we could but act faith on this 
Almighty Jesus, our hearts would not be troub¬ 
led for any thing : What can hurt us ? Rom. 
vii. 31. What should we fear ? our blessed Je- 
5”j5, our Saviour, our husband, command all 
things : Col. i. 16, he rule, and overrules all 
things : no creature, no man, no devil, can act 
any thing against us, without our Lord’s leave: 
believe in this captain, Rom. xvi. 26, VLn&ldnot 
yc : rhearts be troubled. He noil: tread Satan wider 
your feet shortly. Psal. cx. Rev. xiv. 4. He 
will make all his and our enemies his foot stool. 
Let us look by faith unto our captain, and keep 
our eye on him, and follow him wheresoever 
he goeth : let us make him our leader, and by 
faith in him we shall be more than conquerors. 
Rom. vii. 37. Ke hath overcome the devil 
and th? world for us, and he will overcome all 
corruptions, fear and sorrow in us, and will 
shortly set his crown upon our heads. Christ 
is the captain of our salvation : and in bringing of 
many sons to glory, he noas made perfect through suffer¬ 
ing Ke’mii. 14. John xvi. 33. Act faith in 

o 

him who hath perfected our salvation for us: 
that work is done, and it was through suffering, 
l Pet. ii. 21. Lukexxiv. 26. to teach us to be 
H 


sa 


willing to suffer also, to walk in liis steps ; for 
in the way of suffering he entered into his glo¬ 
ry : and the very same way will he bring all 
his sons and daughters unto glory : so that 
while we are suffering for him, or from him, if 
we be his children, Rom. viii. fh Gal. iv. 6, 
(which we may know if we have his spirit) we 
are in the right and ready way to glory. And 
then have we any cause to let our hearts be trou¬ 
bled with sinful fears, care and sorrows ? Have 
we any cause to be cast down and discouraged, 
while we are following our captain, are making 
ourselves conformable to him, travelling the 
same way to heaven that he went there, the 
same way to glory, the way of reproach, shame, 
grief, sorrow, fear, poverty, persecution, tribula¬ 
tion, desertion, the same steps that our Lord 
went to glory ? 0 | that we could but still keep 
our eye on Jesus, and often consider what way 
he went to heaven ; and he being our captain, 
we ?houId shew ourselves his good soldiers, and 
be content to go the same way. 

*Y tA bh Jesus Christ is called the consolation of 
Israel, Luke ii. 25. A sweet name indeed. He 
is the only person that brings true comfort, be¬ 
ing the fountain and spring of all consolation : 
that one of a thousand, Job xxxiii, 23. who 


gave himself a ransom for us. He it is that 
comforteth fin people m all their tribulations. Ephes. 
i. 7. He it is that speaketh and giveth his 
peace to his people ; and when he giveth peace, 
none can cause trouble. And it is his promise, 
that when he hath brought his people into the 
wilderness of fears and troubles, that they know 
not which way to turn, that then he will speak 
comfortably to them ; will speak to their hearts, 
as the word in the original signifies, Kos. ii 14. 

I might largely shew here, that Jesus Christ 
is the consolation of his people many ways : 
as, by his coming from his Father into the 
world, to become our surety, to undertake ior us, 
to take our sins upon him, and to make his soul 
an offering for our sins ; Rev. iii. 17, 18, and 
by his blood to purchase our remission. O how 
comfortable is a surety to one that is a/re^ted, in¬ 
dicted and arraigned ! How comfortable is a 
redeemer to a poor miserable captive ! How 
comfortable is a pardon to a condemned male¬ 
factor ! All this is Jesus to his peopie, and infi¬ 
nitely' more. Fie is gold to make us rich, white 
raiment to cover our nakedness, eye-salve to 
make us see ; he is light, John v. xii, the light 
of life, the fountain of life, spiritual and eternal 
File ; no life but by him. And he hath a^sur- 


88 


ed us, that whosoever ccmdh Ic him, and behemoth hi 
Him, shall heave everlasting life , and shall not come in- 
to condemnation. Ibid ii. 16, 36. He is effected 
in all our afflictions. Isa. Ixiii. 9. And is net 
this a comfortable consideration ? AaII his prom¬ 
ises are as so many breasts of consolation ; yea, 
his rod of affliction, as well as his staff, is bless*, 
ed for the comfort of his people. Psal. xxiii. 4. 
He hath also promised to send his spirit the 
Comforter, to his people, to abide with them forev¬ 
er. John xvi. 7. Yea, Christ himself makes 
this his own special work, also to comfort them 
that mourn , Isa. lxi. 2, and hath blessed those 
that mourn ; Matt. v. 4. that is, with Godly 
sorrow ; for saith he, they ska / he comforted. 

How greatly then doth it concern us to be¬ 
lieve in this Jesus, the consolation of Israel ; 
to look by faith to this lountain of comfort, look 
to hi • office, look to his word and promises ; beg 
him earnestly to send the Spirit, the Comforter, 
into your hearts; look to Jesus alone for all 
comfort, and draw from this spring by prayer, 
faith and meditation, all supplies of comfort ; 
and let not your hearts be troubled » 

'Sixthly, Jesus Christ is called a counsellor, Isa. 
ix. 6. He is most wise ; he is the wisdom of 
the Father : In Him are hid all the treasures of wis- 


89 


dam and knowledge ; 1 Cor. i. 14. Col. ii. 3,yea, 
he is made of God our wisdom, 1 Coi. i. 30. So 
that when we are in doubts and darkness, per¬ 
plexed with temptations, and know not what 
to do ; when we are under sad and dark provi¬ 
dences, and know not how to interpret them ; 
when we are under various exercises, and know 
not how to answer God’s designs in them, nor 
how to improve them ; w hen we are in the 
dark, and know not the meaning of God’s dis¬ 
pensations, nor the design of God in them ; now 
are our hearts troubled in all such cases ; but 
here is our remedy, this is the course we must 
take : act faith now upon Jesus, he is wisdom, 
he is a most wise and faithful counsellor, w o 
may freely open all our cases and conditions to 
him ; he will not despise us, nor deceive us; we 
may safely trust him with all the secrets of our 
hearts ; and let us labor by faith to trust him 
for counsel in ail cases ; let us w ait for his 
counsel, trust to it, and let not your hearts be trout • 
led. 

Seventhly, Jesus Christ is a Redeemer, that is 
his name ; Job xix 25. Isa. xix. 25. ibid Ivi. 
20. I Pet. i. 18, he came into the world on 
this very business, to redeem his people to re¬ 
deem them from all iniquity, Tit. ii. 14,/row 
H 


90 


this -present evil world, from cur Dam conversed wis. 
He hath shed his precious blood to purchase us. 
We are bought with a price , 1 Cor. vi. 2*0. I Thes, 
i. 10, we are none of our own, we are his, the 
purchase of his blood ; and we may be confi¬ 
dent that he dearly loves us, for he dearly bought 
us; and if he had not dearly loved us, he would 
not have given himself for us. Gal. ii. 20. That ' 
was the highest testimony of his love ; He lov¬ 
ed us , and washed us from our sins in his blood . 
Rev. i. 6. And he will redeem us from the 
wrath to come. O then ! let us act our faith 
on this sweet Redeemer, as Job did in the midst 
of all his troubles ; I know, saith he, that my Re¬ 
deemer Uveth, &c. So may every believer say ; | 
although my friends and dearest relations die, , 
my credit and estate dies, though mj outward 
comforts all die, this supports me, that thy Re¬ 
deemer liveth ; Psal. xix. 14. Prov. xxiii. II. 
Luke xxj. 8. and this our Redeemer is mighty, 
mighty te save, able to save to the uttermost, 
Heb. vii. 25. 

Therefore let us act faith on our dear Redeem¬ 
er, and upon his redemption ; Col. i. 14. Heb. 
ix. 12. that shortly the day of our full redemp* 
lion will come, when we shall be delivered ful¬ 
ly and forever from sin, Satan, and the world: 



91 


from all our burthens, fears and sorrows, tempt¬ 
ation? and tribulations. 

I might mention many other sweet names 
and titles of Jesus Christ, which would be food 
for faith to feed upon ; as, that he is t heever.'nst- 
ing Father ; Isa. ix. 6. he hath pity ard eon. pas¬ 
sion for all his poor children, and pouer tc telp 
them, being the Father Almighty, and hs-h a 
portion for them too • he P their portion, Psal. 
ciii. 13. Lam. iii. 24 and hath provided for 
them an inheritance iruerr ptible, undefiled , and 
that fiadeth not away : 1 Pet. i. 4. he is the Prince 
of peace ; he giveth his pe?ce to his people, even 
that peace that the world can neither give to 
them, nor take awav from them. John xiv. 37 . 
xvi. 33. When he speaks peace, none can 
cause trouble. Job xxxiv. 29. He is our peace, 
Eph. ii. 14. and hath made our peace with 
God ; and it is he alone that speaketh peace, 
and creates the fruit of the lips, peace, Isa. Ivii. 
19. Fie is also our shepherd ; therefore saith 
David, I shall want nothing , Psal. xxxi. J. Fie 
is a fountain opened ; a fountain of light, life, 
love, grace, and truth. He is the head of his 
body the church. The husband, the bride¬ 
groom, his people are his members, his spouse, 
he is the heir of all things* In him dwelleth all 



92 


fullness. He is the King of saints , the Rock of ages* ; 
Yea, he is All in all. Col. i. 18. Eph. v. 30. ; 
Heb. i. 2. Col. i. 19. iii. II. O beloved ! had I 
we but faith to act on this blessed Jesus, and on 
these his most sweet names and gracious attri¬ 
butes, our hearts would not be troubled, into 
what condition soever we were brought. Could 
we act faith on Jesus, as our head, husband and i 
father, who is all fullness, all in all ; could we 
doubt of having all seasonable supplies from 
him ? Let our faith but apprehend, apply, and 
appropriate Jesus as our blessed head, our most 
dear husband, and then consider in earnest who 
he is, and what he is ; how mighty, how full, 
how loving, how full of pity, how compassion¬ 
ate, tender-hearted, and kind ; how ready to 
help, how engaged to ns by many promises ; 
and can we then take up such unworthy tho’ts 
of him, as to think he hath forgotten us ? Will 
he not timely support and supply us, and will 
he forget us, can he forget us ? Are not all his 
people as dear to him as the of pie of his eye ? 
Zech. ii. 8 Surely it is our want, or the weak¬ 
ness of our faith, that causeth all our heart-troub¬ 
le. 0 my poor sou / ! hc'iv comfortably mightest thou 
live, if tho could live by faith ! Lord , I believe ; 
Mp, strengthen my faith* Could we but apply 


93 


ancJ appropriate Christ to oar souls, and act faith 
upon those precious names of Christ, which are 
not so many empty titles, which are sometimes 
given to men ; but they are real representations 
of their most dear love and tender affection, of 
that special care, mercy, and loving-kindness 
that is in Jesus towards all his poor children, 
that they might draw out the same for their 
strong consolation ; Heb. vi. 1 7, and that they 
might trust in him, and not despond nor be de¬ 
jected. Thus, if we can believe in Jesus, our 
hearts shall not be troubled . 

Thirdly, Faith acted on the covenant of grace, 
whereof Christ is the mediator, and upon all his 
exceeding great and precious promises, f will 
prevent and cure all heart trouble. Believe in 
the blessed Mediator of the new covenant, who 
hath undertaken, not only on God’s part to see 
that his part be performed to us, but is also be¬ 
come our surety undertaken for us. and by 
himself, to fulfil the .vhole law of God both ac¬ 
tively and passively ; to fulfil ail righteousness for 
us, and by his sphit to fulfil the conditions, of 
the covenant, working in us faith, love, obedi¬ 
ence, and all grace.$ 

f Heb. vii 6. xi. 20. J Heb. vii. 22. § Malt. iii. 

15. Rom. ii-1- 



94 


In this sense, God hath given Christ to be a 
covenant to us, Isa. xliii. 6. And his blood is 
the blood of the covenant, 1 by which he res- 
cueth poor souls that were prisoners to kin and 
Satan, out of the pit of destruction, Zech. ix. 1 
bj this covenant, upon Christ’s shedding of his 
blood as a sacrifice for sin, and his perlonning 
all the work of mediation, and upon our recei¬ 
ving of him and believing in him, as lie is offer¬ 
ed to us in the gospel, God is pleased to promise 
to become our God, our reconciled Father. 2 to 
pardon all sins, to give us his spirit, and all 
grace here, and glory hereafter. 3 !Now, Christ 
our blessed Mediator, hath perfectly fulfilled all 
that God required for us, and in our room and 
stead ;4 that is most certain, for he finished the 
work that his father gave him to do ;5 and he 
hath made many sweet promises to us, that 
he will send his spirit into our hearts, 6 to 
work faith in us to receive him, and to apply 
the merit of Lis blood to us, to sanctify, and re¬ 
new us thereby :7 and hath promised, that 
•whosoever canes unto him, he null/ in no wise cast 
out. 8 And all that shall come unto him, shall 
find rest to their souls. 9 That whosoever belie- 

1 Rent. iii. 15 2 J - hn i. 12. 3 2 Cor. ii. 18. 19. 

4 Isa. lv 3. P.sal. Ixxxiv, 11. 5 Jer. xxxi. 31. 

§ John xvii. 7 John vi. 37. vii. 37. 3 Mart, xi 38. 


95 


in him shall be s.ved ; that he •will keep them, 
and none sha / p ckihem out of his hands That 
he will raise them up at the last day. 1 Assuring 
us, that he is gone to heaven, as our f ;<- e run¬ 
ner, to prepare a place for us t/ure ; and that ie 
will come again , ar.d take . s to himself that ■. e 
he is, there we may be also . Now, if we car. at 
act faith on this Jesus, and on the covenant 
whereof he is the Mediator, and on his pro mis. 
es. applying them, and relying on them, our 
fa rts >hcll not be troubled. 

i Besides, let us consider, there is not a passr 
^age of providence from God to us, but it comes 
through the hands of this Mediator, i Cor. viii. 
6 /lit things are by him : put what you will in 
the hands of a Mediator, and in his power, it 
must needs turn to the good of him, for whom 
he is a Mediator : now, to support and confirm 
us in all our troubles, let us consider two 
things. 

1, This Mediator steps in between Gods’s 
wrath and us, in all our afflictions, that no fury 
>or effects of it may break forth from God on 
his people, for whom he is the Mediator, that 
nothing but fatherly love may be in the chas¬ 
tisement ; and if love send the affliction, what- 

1 Jchnx. 28. 


96 


ever it be, to try and purge, &c. there can be 
no hurt in that affliction. Again, our Media- 
tor interposeth, either to hold off the smart, or 
to allay and mitigate it, that it shall not dis¬ 
tract, Dan. iii. 25, no, nor hurt. 

2. He steps in to uphold us, and to strength¬ 
en our weakness, enabling us to endure, Phil. 

5v. 4, 12, 13. It was the Mediator that did 
strengthen Paul ; The Lord stood by me, and 
strengthened me, said he : faith acted on this 
blessed Mediator, eyeing him, and believing 
that our afflictions come through his hands, e- 
ven through his who loved us, and died for us ; 
our dearest friend, and who hath all power in 
heaven and earth, must be a mighty support to 
us in all our troubles. 

Fourthly, Let faith be acted on the word of 
Christ also : ye believe the word of God, believe 
the word of Christ also : His mouth is most sweet : 
none but gracious words proceed out of his 
mouth, Luke iv. 22. Grace was poured into his 
Ups ; Psal. xl v. 2. And he poured out grace in 
all his words : his whole gospel is a gospel of 
grace, words of peace and salvation. Hear him . 
speaking most sweetly, Matt. xi. 28. Come un¬ 
to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I 
•will gyve you rest. O what sweet words are 


97 


these! Ho, every one that thirtieth, come ye to the 
waters and drink, without momy and without price , 
Isa. Iv. 1,2. I am the way, the truth, and the 
life ; John xiv. 6. Behold, I stand at the door and 
knock ; if any man hear my voice, and open the door , 
I will come in and sup with him , and he with me. 
This is but a taste of those sweet clusters of 
most refreshing grapes which hang upon the 
boughs ef the gospel: let us take frequent view 
of what lies upon record in the evangelists, and 
often read over the manifold promises of grace 
that fell from the sweet mouth of our blessed 
Lord, and meditate, and ponder, and consider of 
them, act our faith upon them, and we shall 
find comfort in them; his words drop as an 
honey comb, his words are spirit and life. More 
particularly. 

First , Our faith must be acted upon Christ’s 
word of precept, his word of command in the 
time of tFauble : Fear not him that can kill the bo¬ 
dy, but him that can cast both soul and body into hell, 
Luke xii. 4 32. Fear none of those Hungs which 
thou shalt suffer, Rev. ii. 10. Let not your heart 
be troubled, nor let it he afraid. Rejoice when men 
i shall persecute you. Matt. v. 7, &o. In patience 
i possess ye your souls ; Luke xxi. 19. with many 

I such. No^, Christians must yield up the obi- 
I 


98 


dience of faith to such commands, and urge 
them upon their hearts, charging themselves to 
obey them, saying, O my soul! my Lord hath 
forbidden me to fear, to be troubled, to be 
thoughtful, to be dejected, &c. he hath com¬ 
manded me to be patient, yea, to rejoice in my 
suffering, John xiv. 15. xv. 12. he is my Lord, 
and I must obey him. I must keep his sayings, 
or else I cannot be his disciple: Matt. vii. 24. 
If I keep his commandments, he will manifest 
himself to my soul, his Father will love me, and 
he will love me, and they both will make their 
abode with me ; for it is his promise, John xiv. 
21, 22. Say thus, O my soul! Jesus Christ is 
my King and my Lawgiver, I must obey him ; 
he is my prophet also, and / must hear him 
in all things whatsoever he shall say unto me, Acts, 
iii. 22. I have taken him for my Lord as 
well as my Saviour ; for my King to rule 
me, as well as for my Jesus to save me, for 
my Prophet to teach me, as well as for my 
Priest to satisfy for me. O my soul ! consider, 
he is the author of eternal salvation only to 
those that obey him. Thus applying the com¬ 
mands of Christ to ourselves, and urging his 
authority upon our hearts, it will help us to 
K ir up under our troubles, 



99 


Secondly , Act faith upon the promises of 
Christ, of which somewhat was said before. He 
hath promised to be always with us, to send 
the Comforter, to manifest himself unto us; that 
he nvitt not break the bruised reed nor quench the 
smokir gjh'Xy Matt xix. 29. Isa. xl. 11. that he 
will gtVe us an hundred fold for all our losses for 
his sake. That he will gather us with his arm, 
carry us in his bosom ; that he will hear our 
prayers ; that he will give us a crown, a king¬ 
dom, everlasting life, with many more. O ! 
could we act our faith upon his precious prom¬ 
ises, and lie sucking by faith on those full 
breasts of consolation, and draw by faith,prayer, 
and mediation, from these wells of salvation, we 
should find sweet support under all our troubles. 

Thirdly , Faith acted on the word of threat- 
liing, may put a stop to heart.trouble : Jesus 
Christ hath dreadfully threatened those that love 
father or mother, son or daughter, more than 
him, or their own liv*s; and 4 those that are a- 
shamed of him, or his word ; and those that 
p fall from him, and hear his sayings and do them 
not;and those that are fruitless branches, &e. 
Matt. x. 37. Luke xiv. 26. Mark viii. 58. John 
xv. 3- 

Fourthly , Faith acted on the examples in the 


100 


word of Christ, especially his own example, 
learn of me, saith he, for I am meek and lowly in 
hearts Matt. xi. 29. He was a lamb dumb before 
the shearers, 1 Pet. i. 21. And we must follow 
his steps. We have also a cloud of witnesses, 
the examples of the primitive Christians, who 
bore all their troubles with patience and holy 
courage ; and we are expressly commanded to 
be followers of them, who through iaith and 
patience inherit the promise, Heb. vi. 12. Thus 
faith acted on the word of Christ, will help a- 
gainst all heart trouble. 

Fifthly, Faith acted on the work of Christ, 
will either prevent or cure heart trouble. And 
that again, if faith be acted upon the work he 
hath done for us already, and upon the work he 
is now doing for us in heaven, and upon the 
work he is now doing in us on earth, and upon 
the work he will do for us, and in us, and upon 
us at the ♦ st day : all which works of Christ, 
if we act our faith on them, we shall not be 
much troubled in our hearts. Believe me, saith 
he, for the works seke, John xiv. 11. 

1. Faith must he acted upon that great and 
glorious w r ork of Christ for us when he was upon 
earth, that work which his Father gave him to 
do, in the days of his flesh, Heb. x. 9. as our 


101 


Redeemer, and that in doing, and in suffering ; 
for became to do the will of God by his obedi¬ 
ence, as well as to suffer it by his satisfaction, 
Heb.ii. 14, 15, 16. and in this state of humilia¬ 
tion. He assumed human nature, entered the 
virgin’s womb, and was born of her , yet without 
sin. Phil. ii. 6, 7. He lived on earth a time, 
doing good, and healing all manner of diseases: 
Matt. iii. 15. spent most of his time in preach¬ 
ing, and praying, fasting and revealing to men 
the whole will of God lor their salvation, and 
fulfilling all righteousness. Pie professed he 
came not to do his own will but the will of him that 
sent him , John vi. 38, 39. And , saith he, this is 
the Father's will which sent me, that of all which he 
hath given me, Ishou d lose nothing, but should raise 
it vf at the last day. A comfortable consid¬ 
eration indeed, and a cure for heart-troub¬ 
le : tl^it our Lord Jesus will raise up all our dead, 
dear relations and friends, now rot-ing in their 
graves : all that died in Jesus , 1 Thess. iv. will 
God bring with him. And this also is the Fath¬ 
ers will, that every one that seeth the Son , that is, 
every one that by faith receiveth and believeth 
in the Son, shall have everlasting life. Now, to 
accomplish and finish this will of the Father, 
was the whole work of Christ upon earth, and 


i 


102 


to draw poor souls unto him, to work faith 
in them by his word and spirit, and ful¬ 
fil the whole law of God for them, and even in 
them, Rom. viii. 4, and to begin and finish the 
whole work as our redemption. John xvii, 4. 
Faith acted on this work of Christ upon earth 
for us in the several parts of it, he being partaker 
offlesh and bl ood with us , to deliver us from him 
that had the power of death, that is the devil; and to 
free us from the fear of death, by which we were al¬ 
ways subject to bondage, Mark x. 89. I say, if we 
can act faith on these works of Christ for us, we 
shall have no cause of heart-trouble. 

Let us consider, that our blessed Lord denied 
himself on earth, and was well pleased not to 
have his own will, nor to do his own will, but 
referred hirnself entirely to his Father’s ; what 
reason have we poor worms, to be troubled, 
when our wills are crossed ? Let us in heart and 
life say as we pray, thy will be done on earth as it 
is in heaven . Matt. xvi. 10. And when the will 
of God is done upon our families and relations. 
Acts xxi. 14. let not our hearts be troubled , but let 
us imitate Jesus Christ, in our submission to the 
will of God, making it our work on earth to be 
doing all the good we can, and soft) put him on 9 

1 John ii. 6. and walk, as he wailked, and not 
be troubled. 






Secondly, Faith acted on Christ's suffering- 
work on earth, will greatly contribute to our 
support ; he was a man of sorrows ; Isa.liii. 1, 2. 
so that if we meet with sorrows on earth, we do 
but drink of our master’s own cup, and that 
should quiet us. 

Christ’s sufferings on earth were of two kinds, 
viz. for our imitation, and for satisfaction for our 
sins. 

1. For our imitation. His patient suffering 
of reproaches, scorns, revilings, contradiction of 
sinners, temptations, persecutions, bonds, pover¬ 
ty, shame, loss of friends, &c. Mark x. 39. 
Matt. xxvi. 39. Suffering all with invincible 
patience and meekness, without the least mur¬ 
muring, repining, disquiet, or discontent, with¬ 
out any retaliation ; for when he was reviled , he 
reviled not again ; 1 Pet. ii. 22, he prayed for his 
enemies, &c. and all this as our example, that we 
should follow his steps, I Pet. ii. 21, 22, 23. And 
if our Lord, the Lord of heaven and earth, suffer¬ 
ed such things, what reason or cause have we to 
be troubled in our hearts when w'e are persecut¬ 
ed, reviled, forsaken of all our friends, impoverish¬ 
ed, exposed to shame and sorrow, seeing our 
blessed Lord was so exposed, and so exercised up¬ 
on earth ? Is it not enough for the servant to be 


104 


as "his master ? shall we think to fare better than 
him ? His sufferings were to teach us to bear 
ours with Christian patience, and to sanctify ours 
to us; yea, in all our sufferings he s) mpathizeth 
with us. 

Let us then act our faith upon Christ’s suffer¬ 
ings on earth ; his w hole life being a life of suf¬ 
fering, he knew what trouble meant ; he wa3 
acquainted with grief ; he knew what it was 
to lose a friend ; for in his greatest trouble, all 
his disciples (whom he calls his friends) forsook 
him and fled ; aud being tempted himself, he knows j 
how to succour them that are tempted. He hath a 
feeling of all our infirmities. Let us labor to act 
faith on Jesus, and our hea ; tswill not be troubhd. 

2. But his great suffering-work for us was his 
work of satisfaction. All our sins being laid cti 
him y it pleased the Lord to Bruise him and put him to 
grief and to make his soul an offering for sin ; Isa. 
liii. 6, 10. he poured out his soul unto death , and 
was numbered among tran grcssvrs, was made snifor 
US : he bare our sins on fm own body on the tree; was' 
made a curse for us, 2 Cor. v. 20. Gal. iii. 10. 

1 Pet. ii. 24. 1 Thess. i. 10. suffered the 

wrath of God for us, to deliver us from the 
wrath to come. The blessed Jesus, when our 
were upon him, he was sore amazed, groan- 



105 


td, was exceeding sorrowful even unto death, Matt, 
xxvi. 37, 38. Lukexxii. 44, he was in a bloo¬ 
dy sweat, in a bitter agony in the garden : he 
was falsely accused, unjustly condemned, and 
barbarously crucified, suffering that cursed and 
cruel, shameful and painful death of the cross: 
and all as our surety, and as a sacrifice to God 

for our sins, Rom. iv. 25. Christ our passcrvcr was 
sacrificed for us , 1 Cor. v. 7. to make atonement 
and satisfaction to the law and justice of God 
for us, Rom. iii. 25. 

This was the great work of the transcendant 
love of Jesus Christ when he was upon earth, 
when he travailed in soul , drank of the brook in the 
•way, Gal. ii. 20. Rev. i. 6. Psal. cx. 7. that 
black torrent of wrath and curses that lay in the 
way between our souls and heaven, which stop¬ 
ped up our passage thitherward, and made it ut¬ 
terly impossible for us : but Jesus made a pas¬ 
sage by his blood, that his redeemed might pass 
thither. Iieb. ix. 12. So great were his suf¬ 
ferings in this world for us, that they made him 
cry out, my God , my God , why hast thou forsaken 
me ? Matt, xxvii. 46. Offering up strong cries 
with tears . Heb. v. 7. 

Now then let us act our faith on the suffer¬ 
ings of Christ here on earth, and believe that he^ 


106 


suffered all those hard and heavy, those bitter 
and grievous things for us, and in our names ; 
that he bore our sins to satisfy God’s justice for 
them, to purchase and procure our pardon. O ! 
that we could but believe in this Jesus, that he 
sweated great drops of blood for us, and that he 
shed his very heart blood upon the cross for us, 
and by faith apply and appropriate all this to our 
own souls, believing that he •was •woundedfor cur 
transgressions , find smitten for otir tins ; that the 
chastisement, of our peace i was upon him ,* Tsa. liii. 5. 
‘Eph. ii. 14 that by the blood of his cross ho 
hath made our peace, and hath purchased for us 
eternallife. Believe this, and then see what 
little cause you have to have your hearts troub¬ 
led for any loss or cross whatsoever. The con¬ 
sideration, in a wav of believing of what Christ 
hath done for us, and what he hath suffered for 
us, should make us patiently do or suffer any 
thing for him and from him. Believe also in me, 
Secondly . Our faith must be acted upon the 
work of Christ, which is now- doing for us in 
heaven. He is not idle there, ah hough he be set 
dvwn on the right h md of the majesty on high ; Heb. 
viii, but he is at work for his people there : he 
tnaketh continual intercession for us ha. liii. 12. 
Rom. viii. 34. He is there as our advocate to 


107 


plead our cause, and manage all our business 
there ; presenting his blood in the virtue of it to 
his father for our pardon ; presenting our persons 
and services perfumed with the incense of his 
own righteousness, and by his spirit applying 
the virtue of it to all our souls. He is able to sans 
to the uttermost all that come unto God by him , seeing 
lie ever liveth to make intercession for us. Heb. vii. 
25. Of this I have spoken before. Now if we 
can act our faith.upon the intercession of Christ, 
who knows all our wants, burthens, cares, arid 
fears, and whose office it is to plead and inter- 
> cede for us in heaven, Psal. x. 14. (though we 
may scarce have any to plead or speak a word 
.for us on earth, yet) we should have no cause 
to have our hearts troubled ; we have a faith¬ 
ful friend, to whom we may commit our cause. 

Thirdly , Christ is doing a work in us on earth, 
while he himself is in heaven ; he is humbling 
us, purging us, teaching us, mortifying our cor¬ 
ruptions, crucifying our inordinate affections, 
sanctifying us, and so preparing us for heaven ; 
he is making us mete for the kingdom ; he is 
fitting us for his Father's house, by all his ordi¬ 
nances, by all his providences, by every loss and 
cross; b} ? all our afflictions, as 2 Cor. i v. 17. Our 
light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for 


103 


us (that is, by way of preparation) a far more ex¬ 
ceeding and eternal weight of glory. Jesus Christ is 
in the word, and in the rod ; he is All in all ? 
he is still forming, squaring, fashioning and 
working by his spirit, Rom. viii. 28. Eph. ii. 
20, 22, word and rod, upon his people, to make 
them more and more confermable to himself, to 
square them as stones for his building, to make 
them habitations for himself, Heb. xiii. 21, tem¬ 
ples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in, and that he 
himself may delight to dwell in them here, and 
to make them fit to dwell with him forever in 
glory. Now, let us labor to act our faith on 
those blessed works of Christ in us, and believe 
that he is thus working in us, even in and by 
all our afflictions, and labor to feel and find these 
gracious works carrying on in us, and we shall 
have no cause to be troubled. 

Moreover, our faith should be acted upon the 
work that Christ is now doing for us in heaven; 
besides his intercession for us in heaven as he told 
his disciples, to comfort them ; In my father's 
house are many mansions ; I go to prepare a place for 
you. A place in heaven is infinitely better, and 
more to be desired than the best place on earth. 
A place in the Father’s house, in the highest 
heavens, in that glorious paradise above, that is 


the place of all places, where the great and glo 
rious God dwells ; there blessed Jesus dwells; 
O that New Jerusalem ! 4 the city of the living 
God,’ that is the place indeed ; 4 that house not 
made with hands, eternal in the heavens.’ 2 
Cor. v. 1,2. Acts i. 9, 10,11. Some think 
that Jesus went locally into hell, but we are sure 
he went locally into heaven ; and we know for 
what he went there ; for he hath told us, it was 
to prepare a place for us there. Here below, all 
places are full of darkness, snares, temptations, 
fears, dangers, persecutions, but that is a placeof 
perfect peace, perfect rest, of light, comfort, joy 
and consolation. Here we are pilgrims and 
strangers, there is our home, our Father’s house. 
Here we have 4 no continuing city, no abiding 
place. 1 Cor. iv. 11. Christ’s people here in this 
world, many times, have no 4 certain dwelling- 
place,’ but are driven from house and home, 
arc forced to fly from one city to another, from 
town to country, from one kingdom to another; 
constrained to wander from place to place ; 
while others abide in their habitations, they 
must seek their quarters where they can find 
them, awhile under one friend’s roof, awhile 
under another ; which is no small affliction to 
them that feel it, though others lay it not to 




no 


heart* Now, what should comfort ns in this 
our pilgrimage and wilderness condition ? Whatr 
Should support us in this our wandering state, 
hut that it was even thus with our blessed Lord 
himself, upon earth, who had * not an house to 
put his head in ?’ And so it was with his disci¬ 
ples, and with many choice saints, as Heb. xi. 
0T, 38, What should bear up our spirits, but 
this comfortable consideration, that our Lord 
W§nt to heaven on purpose to prepare a place 
for us there ? If the earth cast us out, heaven 
will receive us : 2 Cor. vi. 11. If men say to us, 
yemqve, be gone hence, depart away, here is no 
place, no abiding for you ; our dear Lord will 
e&U put of heaven, and say, 4 Come up hither,* 
Rev, xi. 12, come up to me, I have prepared a 
place for you here. There is room enough, 4 In 
my father’s house there are many mansions,* and 
from thence there shall be no remove forever, no 
more changing houses forever, when once wo 
&re lodged in our Father’s house, there is our 
9 fore-runner for us entered.* Heb. vi. 20 . The 
hope we have through grace of getting into 
that blessed place, 4 by that new and living 
Way, to rest there after all our weary wander¬ 
ings here, and never to remove more, is that 
whifh comforts us in these cmr troublesome m 


211 


moves here : O that place, and that blessed state 
in that place ! 1 To tee God, and to be ever With 
the Lord/ to see our lovely Lord Jesus ‘ as he 
is/ and to be made like unto him. Matt. v. 3. 
Could we fix our hearts and eyes more steadfast¬ 
ly upon these invisible and eternal things, w£ 
should more quietly anu comfortably bear our 
present troubles, yea, and rejoice in them. And 
when we can act our faith upon that place and 
state above, and conclude our title to it, by diif 
interest in Christ, then ‘ our hearts will not be 
troubled.’ 

Also this consideration should preserve fls 
from heart-trouble, and sorrow for the loss of 
dear relations which died in Jesus, for that they 
are gone home to their Father’s house, they 
are safely arrived at their harbor, they are safely 
housed, they are where they would be, they are 
gone to the place that their beloved Lord went 
k> prepare for them,* to that city of God, to the 
gancral assembly of the first-born whose nameg 
are written in heaven&c. Heb. xi. 16. They 1 
would not exchange their place now, for the 
most stately and magnificent place in all the 
world. O! could we but realize by faith that 
most happy state and place where our deceased 


112 


pious friends are gone, our hearts would not be 
troubled for them. 

And this may comfort us also under ^11 our 
present sufferings and sadnesses, that ere long 
we also shall go to that place, to that city a- 
bove, which God hath prepared for us. Our 
Lord assures us, that ‘ he will come again, and 
take us to himself, that where he is, we may be 
also. Heb. xi. 16. O! could we believe this, 
we should say, ‘ Come, Lord Jesus, come quick¬ 
ly ! 

Fourthly, Our faith must be acted upon the 
work that Christ ‘ will do for us, and in us, 
and upon us in heaven at the last- It is above 
all our understandings to conceive what glori¬ 
ous works Christ ‘ will do for us, and in us at 
the last day.’ It doth not yet appear what we 
shall be. John iii. 2. There shall be ‘ a day of 
the manifestation of the sons of God.* Rom. 
viii. 22, 23. The poor despised saints, all black 
and cloudy here, covered with shame and re¬ 
proach now f s&all then be manifested to be the 
Lord’s jewels : Mai. iii. 17. that will be a day 
of their full redemption, both of soul and body, 
their wedding, and their solemn coronation day. 
2 Tim. iv. 8. Then their blessed Redeemer 
shall publicly own them, and bid them wel- 




113 


come to his Father's house, saying,« Come ye 
blessed of my Father,’ Matt. xxv. 34, &c. Then 
will Jesus put on the crown of glory, of right¬ 
eousness, and of life, upon their heads. Then 
will Jesus 1 present them to his Father without 
spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Eph. v. 
27. Then will he make their now vile bodies, 
(subject now to vile corruptions, to vile diseases, 
to vile abuses, and to a vile dissolution at death) 
* like unto his own glorious body’ Phil. iii. 31. 
and their souls shall be like to his, to their full 
satisfaction. Psal. xvii. 15. Then the poor 
disciples of Christ shall have a full end put to 
all their heart troubles, sorrows, fears, and cares. 
Then ‘ their hearts shall rejoice, and their joy- 
no man (nor devil) shall take from them.* John 
xvi. 22. * Sorrow and sighing shall flee away,' 

and they shall enter into everlasting rest j and 
into that unspeakable blessed state which was 
purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, and by 
him prepared and possessed, iiy>ur names and 
steads. Ail our dear relations that died in Jesus, 
are already entered ; Christ, their dearest Lord, 
hath wrought this glorious work on their soul* 
already ; they are triumphing, singing hallelu¬ 
jahs in the highest heavens, while we are fight¬ 
ing, sighing and sobbing here below. They 

K 


114 


are witl^blessed Jesus above, according to his 
prayer tor‘them, seeing his glory, and partici¬ 
pating of it. John xvi. 22, 24. Thus much 
for the work of Christ, upon which our faith 
must act, that onr hearts may not be troubled. 

Fifthly, Our faith must act upon the will of 
Christ, m order to the preventing, and curing 
our heart-trouble, fears and sorrows. What is 
the will of Christ, in order to the preventing, 
and curing our heart troubles, fears and sorrows. 
What is the will of Christ ? It is his will that 
his peoples’ ‘ hearts should not be troubled nor 
afraid,’as in the text : it is his will, that in the 
world they should 4 have tribulation,’ but yet, 
that they should * be of good cheer.’ John xvi. 
33. It is his will that in their 4 patience they 
should possess their souls,’ and not faint nor be 
discouraged. It. is his will the}’- should be sano 
tified, and that all their afflictions should pro¬ 
mote their sanctification. It is his will, that 
although he love them, yet to 4 rebuke and chas¬ 
ten them’ ; and when he doth so, that they 
should be 4 zealous and repent. 1 Thess. iv. 3. 
Heb. xii. 10. Rev. iii. 19. It is his will, that 
they should 4 deny themselves, take up their 
cross daily, and follow him.’ Matt. xxi. 24. 
That they should 4 fear none of those things 


115 


that tlmy should suffer.’ Rev. ii. 10. Tliafc 
they should walk in his steps, hold fast to the 
end, 4 be faithful unto death.’ Matt. x. 34. 
That they should overcome. It is his will that 
they should not love father or mother, son or 
daughter, more than himself; no, nor their 
lives, but be willing to part with all for his sake. 
Luke xiv. 26. Yea, it is his will, his last will, 
that all his poor disciples, after they have suffer¬ 
ed awhile, 4 may be with him where he is, to 
behold his glory.’ John xvii. 24. Thus if we 
act faith upon the will of Christ, and labor to 
yield to if and acquiesce in it, we shall procure 
much freedom from heart-trouble. 

Lastly , Our faith must be acted upon the ends 
and designs of Christ in all his afflictive provi¬ 
dences towards us ; and these his ends are all 
very good and gracious. This argument he 
himself used, to cure the heart-trouble of his dis¬ 
ciples for his departure from them, viz. That 
he had good ends in his going away from them; 
his end was, to prepare a better place for them, 
a better place than any to be found here ; a 
place in heaven, in the Father’s house : and his 
end was to send the Spirit, the Comforter unto 
them, which would not come, if he did not go 
away, John xvi. 6, 7. He had told them of his 



116 

going away from them, upon which 4 sorrow 
filled their hearts/ (and it is even so with us, 
when our earthly comforts leave us, sorrow fills 
our hearts ;) but to cure this, our Lord answers 
them, that it was 4 expedient for them, (good 
and necessary for them) that he should go away, 
shewing them his end in going away, to wit, 
4 that he might send the Comforter / he would 
remove from them a great mercy, the greatest 
earthly mercy that ever they enjoyed, which 
was his personal presence ? they must part with 
so dear, so near, so sweet, so loving, so faithful 
a friend, as himself was to them : and could 
there be a greater loss ? For this, ‘ sorrow hath 
filled their hearts But he tells them, it was to 
make way for a greater mercy, which was, to 
send them the Comforter, in ai! the saving and 
miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, by w hich 
they should be able to * do greater works than 
himself did.’ John xiv. 12, which was a greater 
mercy than his bodily presence with them, and 
with this he calms and quiets their minds. Now, 
if we can act faith upon the blessed ends of Christ 
in removing our earthly comforts from us, which 
are, to bestow upon us better mercies, to give us 
more of his spirit, and of the graces and comforts 
©f it? our hearts would not be troubled : could 



117 


we believe, that Christ’s end in all his chastise¬ 
ments, is, to prepare us for that place in his Fath¬ 
er’s house, it would comfort and support us. 
His ends are very good, and that should quiet 
us. So long as the people of Christ enjoy most 
of the comforts of this world, (1 speak it by sad 
experience) commonly they enjoy least of God, 
and of his spirit ; and usually, when Christ 
takes away their earthly comforts, then he man¬ 
ifests most of himself, and of his tender love to 
them : he brings them into the wilderness, and 
then ‘ speaks comfortably to them then he 
speaks to their hearts, and not to their ears only, 
as in time of prosperity ; then he gives out most 
of the graces and comforts of his spirit. Christ 
never takes away these outward mercies from 
his people, but with design to bestow better, if 
our discontent and unbelief do not hinder.— 
When tiie Lord took away from his servant Da¬ 
vid the young child begotten in adultery, it was 
to give him a Solomon. 

Thus I have endeavored to shew what it is 
also to believe in Christ, that thereby we may 
prevent and cure our heart-trouble. 

The last thing 1 have to do is, to shew how 
faith acted thus on God and Christ, or on God 
in Christ, is the best preventative of, and reme- 


318 


dy to cure aHour heart-troubles, whieti hath in¬ 
deed been shewn, partly in the two former par¬ 
ticulars, and will serve for the confirmation of 
the point also. 

Tv/o ways principally faith acted on God and 
Christ, doth effect this great cure of heart-troub¬ 
le, and procure heart’s-ease. 

First , By way of application and approba¬ 
tion. 

Secondly , By way of holy confidence and reli¬ 
ance. 

First , By applying and appropriating God and 
Christ to the soul, and all that God is, and all 
that Christ is, and all that God hath, and all 
that Christ hath, and all that God and Christ 
hath promised : faith applieth and appropriates 
all this to the soul; faith gives the soul right, 
title, claim, propriety and interest to, and in God 
and Christ; faith makes all the believer’s own. 
Believe, and all is thine. This is the language 
of faith, my God, my Lord, my Christ, my Sa¬ 
viour, my Redeemer; Psal. xix. 14. and this 
quiets and satisfies the soul fully, or nothing in 
heaven or earth can do it ; when it can thus act 
its faith on God and Christ. So was David 
cured of his great troubles, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. ‘ He 

encouraged himself in the Lord his God,’ his God 


119 


ui Christ; 20 in that pregnant text, 2 Sam, 
xxiii. 5. His interest in God’s everlasting cov¬ 
enant, (whereby God was become his God in 
Christ) he acted his faith upon, and that satisfied 
him. Psal. xxxi. 14. So Mich. vii. 7. Psal. 
Ixxiii. 25, 26. 

Eit her God is ours, or he is not ; either Christ 
•is curs, or he is not : if God and Christ be not 
ours, we have cause enough to mind our danger, 
and to be troubled at our very hearts, that we 
are in such a case ; and should now above all 
things labor after an interest in God and in 
Christ; whatever our losses in the world be, 
this dangerous state of souls should be most 
minded, and speedily looked after above all 
things. 

But If God be ours ; and if Christ be ours ; if 
we have chosen God for our portion in Christ ; 
and if we have rightly and truly received Jesus 
Christ the Lord, for our only Lord and Saviour, 
and have unfeignedly given up our whole selves 
to him ; then may we act our faith upon God, 
as our God, and upon Jesus Christ as ours, Psal. 
cxix. 57* Lam. iii. 24. John i. 12. Col. ii. 6. 
Gen. xvii. 1. Col. iii. 11. 1 Cor. iii, 22,23, and 
may claim our right in God and in Christ, and 
In all that God and Christ is, and hath, as our 


120 


own ; and then, what cause of any heart troub¬ 
le ? If God be ours, if Christ be ours, all is ours, 
life is ours, death is ours : what if we want re¬ 
lations and friends, honor, wealth and health ; 
is not the all-sufficient God enough ? Is not Je¬ 
sus, in whom 4 dwells all fullness,’ enough to 
supply the want of all ? This God proposed to 
Abraham, 4 I am thy God and to Israel, Isa. 
xli. 10. Jesus Christ is all, ‘and in all and if 
Christ be yours, all is yours; God is yours ; and 
all the good of both worlds are yours ; and what 
can you desire more ? 

Secondly , Faith exercised in holy confidence . 
in, and reliance upon God, and Christ, and the i 
promise, will prevent or cure all our heart-troub¬ 
le. David was cured both these ways, Psal, 
xxxi. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, viz. by appropriating 
God to himself, and by trusting in him, ‘ I trust- ' 
ed in thee, O Lord, I said, thou art my God 
Psal. xliii. 5. for God is pleased to engage him¬ 
self to discharge those souls from heart-trouble 
and sinful fear, who trust in him, Psal. xxxvii. 
40. Trouble doth disorder the heart, and dis¬ 
composes the mind ; but faith in this exercise of 
it, 4 trusting in the Lord,’ doth fix and settle the 
heart ; so that then no 4 evil tidings shall make 
such a person afraid, for his heart is fixed, trust- 



121 


ing in the Lord.’ PiaLcxii. 7. God hath prom¬ 
ised to ‘ keep them in perfect peace, whose 
minds are stayed on him, because they trust in 
him,’ Isa. xxvi. 3. 

Diffidence is the cause of all disquiet ; no 
true rest can be had, nor quiet to our minds, but, 
by confidence in God, Psal. ii. 12. ‘ O the bles¬ 

sedness of those that trust in Christ !* God in 
Christ is the only fit object of our confidence, in 
all our extremities. A believer hath a God to 
go to in ail his troubles, an Almighty and lov¬ 
ing Father in Christ ; and this should be our 
comfort, that we are in covenant with him that 
rules the world, and hath Committed the gov¬ 
ernment of all things to his Son, our dear Re¬ 
deemer, who hath bought us with his blood ; 

- and we may be sure no hurt shall befall us that 
he can hinder, who hath all power in heaven 
and earth ? Matt, xxviii. 13. and that hath the 
" keys of hell and death, unto whom we are so 
near, that he carries our names on his heart, 
and who will in due time make all the world 
know, that his people are as dear to him a,s the 
apple of his eye. 

Trust then, depend and rely upon God in 
Christ, and by an holy confidence resign up 
your wills to his will, to do, what he would 
L 


122 


have us do ; to be, what he would have us be ; 
to suffer* what he would have us suffer ; and 
then heart-trouble will cease, and sweet peace 
cometh : when having trusted all with God, 
we can in heart say, Lord, if thou wilt have me 
poor, disgraced, imprisoned, diseased, deprived of 
my dearest friends, I am content to be so ; I 
trust all my concerns with thee : O the sweet 
peace and quiet that will be in that soul ! 

There is the all mightiness, the wisdom, good* 
ness, love, mercy, and faithfulness of God in 
Christ for us, to tru& in, and to rely upon, a 
bottom and foundation strong enough to build 
our confidence upon, in all storms and streights; 
God hath also made many 6 exceeding great 
and precious promises,’ and not a naked promise, 
but he hath entered into a covenant with us, 
founded upon full satisfaction by the blood of Je¬ 
sus, and confirmed it with an oath : Heb. vi. 17. 
and to this covenant, sealed by the blood of his 
Son. he hath added the seals of the sacraments; 
and all this, that the i heirs of the promises,* 
namely, all true believers, 4 might have strong 
consolation,’ and be cured of all their heart-trou¬ 
bles. 

Upon this sure foundation then must our faith 
act in an holy confidence in God,and in Christ; 


123 


the soul being taken off from all other ob¬ 
jects, carried out of self, unto God and Christ ; 
who presently (as soon as trusted in) communi¬ 
cate themselves, and their love, and goodness to 
the soul, filling it with peace, strength, and set¬ 
tlement. By this trusting in God, we honor 
God most, and best provide for our own safety. 

This way then, whereby faith quieleth the 
soul, and cures it of its troubles, is by raising it 
above all disquietments, and settling it solely up- 
on God in Christ, and thereby uniting it to God 
in Christ ; from whence it draws virtue and 
strength,to subdue whatever troubleth its peace. 
For the soul is made for God, and never finds 
rest, till it return unto, and settle and centre it¬ 
self upon him again. And that we may thus 
place our confidence in God and Christ for all 
supplies, we must most certainly, earnestly beg, 
cry, and seek to God for grace and strength so 
to do ; we must trust in God alone for all things, 
and at all times ; as id thus by appropriating God 
to us, and Christ to us, and placing our confi¬ 
dence in them, we may be cured of all our heart- 
troubles. 

APPLICATION. 

I. For information. These inferences fol¬ 
low. 


324 


First, If faith acted upon God in Christ he 
such a remedy against heart-trouble, then, sure¬ 
ly .faith is a very precious, a very excellent thing; 
a grace of very great worth and value, and of 
great use and efficacy : it is precious faith in¬ 
deed, the very 4 trial of it is more precious than 
gold.* 2 Pet. i. 1. 1 Pet. i. 7. Precious for 

its author, the Lord Jesus ; Heb. xii. 1. for its 
object, precious Jesus, and all the exceeding great 
and precious promises, the purchased inherit¬ 
ance : John i. 12. Eph. iii. 17. for its offices, 
it unites us to Christ, gives us title to eternal life; 
it supports under all afflictions; prevents or cures 
all htart-troubles ; and precious for its end, 
which is the salvation of our souls. Heb. xi, 
1 Pet. i. 9. 

This grace of faith is of a transforming, spir¬ 
itual nature : and the soul of a believer, by act¬ 
ing it on God and Christ, and on divine, heav¬ 
enly and spiritual things, becomes divine, heav¬ 
enly and spiritual. Faith unfasteneth the heart 
from the creature shewing the soul the vanity 
of it, and carries the soul unto God and Christ, 
shewing it God’s all-sufficiency, and Christ’s all¬ 
fullness : for faith believes w hat God in his word 
hath revealed of both. It is the great design of 
God, in all the troubles he sends upon his peo- 


123 


pie, effectually to teach them the exceeding 
vanity of the creature, to embitter the things of 
this world to them, to wean their hearts from 
them, to bring earthly things out of request with 
them, to make them see, that there is no true 
contentment, nor solid satisfaction for the soul, 
to be found in them, and to make them see 
where true happiness and contentment is to be 
had ; even in God and in Christ alone, for 
whom their souls were created, redeemed and 
sanctified. Psal. iv. 5. Isa. xliii. 21. Tit. ii. 14. 
Now the great work of faith, is to take off the 
soul from the creature, and to fix and settle it 
upon God and Christ, the true foundation. Nat¬ 
urally our hearts hang loose from God, and 
cleave to the creature, and when the creature 
fails, our hearts are troubled : but faith takes off 
the heart from the creature, and settles it upon 
God in Christ, where it finds rest ; and this is 
the great service it doth us. All the great and 
famous things which those worthies did, and all 
the hard and heavy things they suffered, men¬ 
tioned in Heb. xi. were all done and suffered by 
the power of faith, ver. 37, Ac. The settling; 
4 >f our hearts upon God in Christ, trusting all 
there, is the best means to cure our heart-troub¬ 


le 


126 


le : and this faith doth, and therefore it is pro* 
cious. 

Secondly , It follows from the premises, that 
ihe wantcf faith in God, and in Christ, is the 
great cause of ail our heart-troubles, desponden¬ 
cies and disquietness. Could we but act our 
faith strongly on God and Christ, as our God in 
Christ, our troubles would be prevented or cur¬ 
ed : for by faith the soul looks up to God in 
Christ, through the promises, looking off from 
all other supports, unto God for ail supplies, for 
the removing of all evil felt or feared, and for 
the obtuing of all good promised and needed s 
and by this exercise of faith, the soul is raised 
up above all discouragements and .disquietment: 
but where this faith is wanting, or the lively ex¬ 
ercise of it suspended, there the soul sinks under 
heart-trouO>es. But of this something was said 
before. 

Thirdly , Hence also we may clearl} 7- see the 
absolute necessity of getting faith in God, and 
in Christ ; and of acting it, and living by it : 
there is no living quietly and comfortably with¬ 
out it, no standing under our burthens, no bear¬ 
ing with patience and cheerfulness our losses 
and cjosses without this faith : no joy and peace. 


127 


but by believing : by faith we stand. Rom. 
xv. J3. 

Fourthly, Then the things of the world are not 
to be trusted to, nor trusted in, for comfort in 
time of trouble. Nothing but God and Christ 
to be trusted in, and trusted to ; and there is e- 
nough in them to support and comfort us, as 
hath been shewn : but no confidence to be put 
in the creature ; Jer. ix. 4. there is a curse upon 
such confidence, but a blessing upon them that 
trust in God : no trusting in friends: Mich. vii. 
4, 5. riches, gifts, or any thing ; for so to do, is 
idolatry, to give that to the creature, which is 
due to God alone. 

Fifthly, Hence we see the reason why so ma¬ 
ny faint in the day of adversity, and sink under 
trouble : and others use unlawful means to pre¬ 
vent trouble, or to get out of it ; it is because 
they want this faith in God and Christ ; and 
for want of it, too many miscarry uncer afflic¬ 
tion. 

The second use is by way of exhortation to 
all the disciples of Christ, in the words of the 
text ; 4 Let not your hearts be troubled, but be¬ 
lieve in God, and believe in Christ :* You must 
get and act faith in God and Christ, this is the 
only preventative, the only remedy against 


128 


feeart-trouble. Our Lord in this- text command** 
and commends it ; John vi. 29. we musi needs 
get faith, for we cannot have Christ without faith; 
Eph. ii. 8. Coi. ii. 21. go to God for it, it is his 
work, his gift, yea, it is his operation ; yea, the 
same power that raised up Jesus from the dead 
most be put forth upon a sou! to work faith, Eph. 
i. 19,20. The exceeding great and mighty work¬ 
ing of the power of God, to raise up the soul to 
Christ, and to enable it to lay hold on God and 
Ciirist : For such is our natural proneness to live 
by sense and carnal reason, and such is the most 
transcendent excellency cf God and Christ, and 
of divine things, which faith looks unto ; and so 
great an inclination have vc to self-sufficiency* 
and so much rooted in self-love, and inordinate 
love of the creature, and *o hard to take off the 
soul from false bottoms ; and because we are 
such strangers to God naturally ; and because 
there is so much guilt of sin still remaining on us* 
by our renewed provocations, that we are afraid 
to entertain serious thoughts of God ; and be< 
cause of that infinite distance between God and 
us, we can never come to believe in him, and 
rely upon him, until our hearts be renewed by 
the power of grace, and this divine grace of faith 
Infused into them ; therefore we must go tc- 


God and Christ, and put up strong cries and 
prayers to God to work faith in us, and never 
give over, until it be wrought in us. 

And having got faith, we must act and exer¬ 
cise it upon God in Christ ; upon God, I say ; 
he is the only object of faith, and is worthy of it; 
for a man can be in no condition in which God 
is at a loss, and cannot help him ; if comforts 
and means of deliverance be wanting, God can 
create comforts, and command deliverance, Isa, 
Ivii. 19. He can bring light out of darkness, 
Psal. exii. to him all thing? are possible. 

1. Then faith assents to, and is persuaded that 
there is a God, the infinite, first and best being 
of all things, and who giveth being to all things,, 
Heb. xi. 6. 

2. That in this blessed being are three per¬ 
sons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and all tile 
object of our faith. 

3. Faith must always act on God in Christ, 
and not otherwise ; for ‘ in Christ, God recon¬ 
ciles the v orld.’ 2 Cor. v. 19. Col. i. 21. In 
Christ, God becomes our friend, at peace with 
us ; by Christ, the enmity between God and 
us, is taken away ; in Christ, God becomes our 
Father, John i. 12. Gal. iii- 26. 

4. Faith is acted by meditating on, consider- 



130 


i'ng of, and applying, and appropriating of Gad 
in Christ to the soul, laying claim to all that 
God hath, as its own. 

5. It must also act upon the promises of God 
in his word, and Christ in them ; God hath op¬ 
ened ail his heart to us in his word, making ma¬ 
ny sweet promises, ‘ exceeding great and pre¬ 
cious promises ; 2 Pet. i. 4. and also he hath' 
made a covenant of g ace wi'h us, to bestow 
himself, and all good things upon.us, upon which 
we must live, until promises end in performanc¬ 
es. Jer. xxxi. Heb. viii. These promises are 
our spiritual treasury ; promises of pardon of 
sin, upon repentance and faith : promises of re¬ 
newing, sanctifying gra e ; promises of the spir¬ 
it, of heaven, of tternul life and gtory, of man¬ 
sions in the Father’s house, and of all things 
needful in the way to the kmgd'rn, that ve 
shall want no ^ood thing, anci that all things 
shall work together for our good, &c. 

L sty , That our hearts may not be troubled, 
but fully satisfied and comforted, we must by 
faith lay hold on God, Isa. lvi. 5. take hold of 
God’s strength, which is his mercy in Christ ; 
and most solemnly, most considerately, and most 
sincerely take God for God in Christ, and actu¬ 
ally enter into covenant with him ; Isa. xxxvii. 


131 


4. Jrr. xxxi. 32. 2 Cor. vi. 18 this covenant is 
founded upon Jesus Christ, his satisfaction and 
righteousness ; and therefore we must also be¬ 
lieve in Christ., taking him for our only Lord 
and Saviour receiving him by faith as he is of¬ 
fered to us in the gospel, to be all in all to us. 

As God offers, so faith receives ; God receives 
him ; God doth, as it were, say in the gospel, 
0 poor lost sinner ! come to iAy son Jesus, take 
him for thy only Lord and Saviour, and by 
him come to me,and take me for tby God and 
Father ; and by faith the poor believer 6choeth 
back , i My Lord and my God,’ I humbly and 
heartily come to thee, accept of thee, close with 
thee, and so by faith the believing soul becomes 
one with God and Christ ; and hereupon the 
soul by faith cleaves to God and Christ, and un- 
feignedly, and unreservedly gives up its vvh< le 
self to God in Christ, taking God in Christ for 
his, and entirely surrenders up itself to be the 
Lord’s. ‘ My beloved is mine, and I am Ins.’ 
Now faith thus acted, will certainly cure all our 
heart-troubles. 

In order then to obtain solid comfort in all 
our distresses, let us carefully look whether these 
acts of faith have really passed upon our souls ; 
'have we thus actually, understanding^, and sin- 


132 


qerely believed in God, and in Christ ? Have we 
unfeignediy entered into covenant with God and 
Christ, by our being his ? If we be entirely his, 
he is ours for certain, 1 John iv. 19. Cant. ii. 16. 
If we place all our happiness in him, Psal. lxx. 
ii. 25. If we give him the throne in our hearts, 
subjecting our whole selves to his government, 
making God in Christ all our love, our trust, joy, 
delight, fear, our all; cleaving to him alone and 
above all, depending upon him as our chief 
good ; contenting ourselves with him as all-suf¬ 
ficient for us, resigning up ourselves to his good 
will, to be, to do, and suffer what he will : if 
we can and do engage ourselves to sincere obe¬ 
dience, that none of his commandments be griev¬ 
ous to us : if in all things we give Christ the 
pre-eminence ; if vve have received the spirit of 
Christ, as Rom. vii. 9. Gal. iv. 6. 1 Cor. vi. 17, 
which joins us to him, and makes us 4 one spirit 
with him,* and which is the spirit of adoption, 
whereby the soul seeing his interest in God as 
his Father, can freely go to God in all its straights * 
If we have the graces of the spirit, as 4 love, 
meekness, patience, humility,* &c. If we have 
a resemblance of our Father in us, a likeness of 
disposition to God in Clnist, the image of God, 
the life of Christ manifest in us : 2 Cor. iv, 10* 


133 


11. Gal. ii. 2o. If we do own God and his 
cause, in evil times, so that we are willing to 
part with any thing, with all things for Christ’s 
sake, and at his cail : if it be thus with us in 
the main bent and constant frame of our hearts, 
and in the sincerity and integrity of our souls, 
our consciences in the sight of God bearing us 
witness, l John iii. 21, that thus it is with us, 
then may we upon good grounds conclude, that 
God the all-sufficient God is ours, and that our 
hearts should not be troubled ; and to prevent 
and cure all our heart-trouble, we must act faith 
on all those things, in God and in Christ, which 
I mentioned before, and which would be too 
long to repeat again here $ therefore I earnestly 
desire you to look back, and view over those sev¬ 
eral particular things considerable in God and in 
Christ, and believe in God and in Christ, apply¬ 
ing and appropriating them to ourselves, and we 
shall see we have no cause of heart-trouble. If 
the great God be ours, if we have no husbands 
nor wives, nor sons or daughters, nor health, nor 
wealth, we have enough to content and satisfy 
our souls forever. 

But to draw a conclusion : that there may 
be an effectual cure of ail our heart-trouble, what- 


M 



134 


ever our distress may be. let us labor to act faith 
on Christ, in considering and believing, 

1. What he is. 

2. Where he is. 

3. What he hath declared. 

4. What he hath promised ; and q,li within 
the confines of this text, Ver. 2, 3. 

Firsty Let Christ’s disciples labor to believe 
what Christ is, and who he is. He himself ask¬ 
ed his disciples this question, Matt. xvi. 16. 
1 Whom say ye that lam?* Peter answered, 
* thou art Christ the son of the living God I 
know in whom I have believed, saith the apos¬ 
tle, 2 Tim. i. 12. and that supported him : 
and for this knowledge of Jesus Christ his Lord, 
he counted all things but dung, Phil. iii. 9. and 
dross. To believe all things that are written of 
Christ, is not enough ; but to believe in him, is 
by faith to receive him for our only Lord and 
Saviour, John i. 12. Col. ii. 6. and ‘ actually, un¬ 
reservedly, unfeignedly,’ and heartily to give up 
our whole selves unto him, taking him for our 
absolute Lord, our head, our treasure, and our 
all; and believing, ‘ He is all that to us that he 
is.* That ‘ he was made sin for us, made wis¬ 
dom, righteousness, sanctification and redemp¬ 
tion to us.’ That he is indeed our husband, our 


13 $ 


head, eur high-priest, our surety, our ransom, 
our redeemer. That 4 he hath loved us, and 
washed us in his blood.* That 4 he was deliv¬ 
ered up to death for our offences, and rose again 
for our justification. That c he hath made our 
peace with God by the blood of his cross ; and 
purchased our pardon, and an inheritance for us 
with the saints in light ; and that by believing 
in him, we shall have everlasting life, John iii. 
16, 36. I say, this is to believe in Christ ; and 
such as thus believe in him, have no cause of 
heart trouble. And thus we must believe in 
him, 1 John iii. 22, and the positive command 
of Christ himself in the text, 4 Believe also in 
me.* And he that hath this faith, hath Christ, 
1 John v. 10, 12, 4 and hath life, eternal life.* 
John vi. 4T. 4 Verily, I say unto you, (saith 

Christ, the eternal truth himself) he that believ- 
eth in me, hath everlasting life.’ He hath it 
in the price of it, that was punctually paid down 
upon the cross, therefore called the purchased 
possession : he hath eternal life in the promises 
of it ; it is promised to every one that believeth ; 
God that cannol lie, hath promised it, Tit. i. 1, 
2, and he hath it in the first-fruits of it, the sav¬ 
ing graces of the spirit, which in some measure 


every true believer hath, 2 Cor. v. 5. Eph. i, 
13, 14. 

Now, he that believes in Christ, Christ is 
his; and all that Christ hath done, and suffer¬ 
ed, and merited, is his ; he hath right and title 
to it : for by faith he is become the child of 
God, Gal. iii. 26. ‘We are all the children of 
God by faith in Jesus Christ. And if we be 
Christ’s, then are we heirs of the promise,’ Gal, 
iii. 29. Yea,‘ heirs of God, and joint heirs with 
Christ’, Rom. viii. 17. Yea, then, ‘ all things 
are ours,’ 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23. ‘ All is ours,* 

if we be Christs, whether Paul, or Apolios, or 
Cephas. All the gifts, graces, labors, prayers, of 
all gospel ministers, all gospel ordinances are de¬ 
signed for our good, Eph. iv. 11, 12, 13, for the 
gathering of us in, and for the perfecting and 
building of us up in Christ Jesus, until we all 
come to heaven. The world is ours ; the good 
and evil of it, the bitter and the sweet of it, the 
comforts and the crosses of it, the gains and the 
losses of it, the love and the hatred of it, the 
smiles and the frowns, the friends and the foes 
in it ; all is designed for, and shall further and 
promote our spiritual and eternal welfare. Life 
is ours. All the troubles, sicknesses, pains, evil 
tidings, persecutions, disappointments, losses of 


137 


relations, shame, reproach, or whatever attends 
this mortal life, shall be sanctified and blessed 
to us for our good. Yea, dea h is ours, that 
shall be our advantage, our gain, that shall put 
a full end and period to all our sin and suffering, 
and be a door of entrance for us into glory in 
our father’s house: or things present : our pres¬ 
ent fears, sorrows, miseries, infirmities, <fcc. 
shall be so ordered and over-ruled by the wis¬ 
dom and love of our Father, that they shall all 
help us onward to heaven : all that glory to be 
revealed, that saints everlasting rest that is pre¬ 
pared for the people of God, that crown of right¬ 
eousness, glory, and of life : that kingdom of 
glory, that unspeakable, that inconceivable 
state of happiness and blessedne which Christ 
our Lord hath purchased by his blood, all this 
is ours also. But how came we to have a right 
and title to all this ? Why saith the apostle 
thus: ‘ Ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.’— 
i As sure as Christ is God’s, so sure, if you be 
Christ’s, all is yours : and as I have proved, if 
we be true believers in Christ, then we are 
Christ’s, we are his members, his spouse, his 
children, and then, what cause have we to be 
troubled at any thing, or in any condition ?— 
What cause hath such a soul to be dejected, 

M 




JL38 


Whatever crosses or losses do befall him ? Is 
there not enough in Christ, in the promises, in 
the purchase of Christ ? Is there not enough in 
heaven, in all that glory to quiet, content, and 
fully satisfy our souls ? O my beloved, (and Q 
my base and faithless heart!) It is our base un¬ 
belief that does all the mischief, that spoils our 
peace, that hinders our comfort, and makes us 
walk so heavily. O let us bewail this God- 
dishonoring sin, this peace-destroying sin : and 
let us, who have received Jesus for our Lord and 
Savior, Col. ii. 6, 7. believe that he is ours in¬ 
deed, and then act our faith upon him, and our 
hearts shall not be troubled- 

Quest. But may some say, it is true if Christ 
be ours, all is ours, w’e believe that; but how 
shall we know that Christ is ours ? 

Aru<w. Briefly thus : if we be Christ’s en¬ 
tirely, and sincerely Christ’s,then Christ is ours: 

4 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,* 
Cant. ii. 16. chap. vi. 3. Her being Christ’s was 
sure evidence that Christ was hers. Now, it is 
not very hard to know whose we are, whether 
we be Christ’s or our own, ^Christ’s or the 
world’s, Christ’s or the devil’s . let us take a lit¬ 
tle pains in trying and searching ourselves, the 
matter requires it: whose we are? Put this 






139 


question seriously to our heart, in the sight of 
God : whose am I ? whose image do 1 bear ? 
By whose spirit am I acted ? Who hath my 
heart, my chief love and delight ? Have we nn- 
feignedly given up ourselves to Christ ? Have 
we actually entered into covenant with him, 
and taken him for our head and husband ? Have 
we passed over and surrendered up our whole 
selves to Christ, our souls, bodies, all our con¬ 
cerns ? Have we given up our hearts, heads, 
tongues, time, talents, estates, liberties, relations, 
and all to Christ ? Have we done this sincere¬ 
ly ? Then we have received Qirist upon his 
terms. If we be Christ's and not our own, and 
live unto Christ, and not to ourselves, Rom. xiv. 
9. 1 Ccr. vi. 20. Gal , ii. 20, and are content 

that Christ should dispose of us and ours as he 
pleaseth; and are always laboring to be more 
and more like him, and still longing for more 
and more communion with him, <fcc. then may 
we upon good grounds, conclude Christ is ours : 

5 If we be his, he is ours.’ 

Again, if we truly believe in Christ, then he 
is ours ; for it is by faith that we receive him, 
and are united to him, and made one with him, 
John i. 12, 13, and are by his spirit and word 
regenerated, and made new creatures; and are 


140 


enabled to walk after the spirit, and not after 
the flesh, 2 Cor. v. 17. Rom. viii. 12. ‘He 
thar belie vet h, hath the witness in himself, 1 
John v. 10 he need not go far to seek : make 
sure thy oelieving in Christ, and thou hast the 
witness in thyself that he is thine, and thou art 
his. 

„Quest . But how shall we know that we 
have true faitn, and that we do truly believe in 
Christ ? 

Ansnv* Briefly thus: we have been made 
sensible of our lest condition by nature, of our 
misery by sin, of our unbelief ; if we have found 
it a hard work to believe; if we have been made 
weary and heavy laden with sin, so as to be tru¬ 
ly willing to part with all sin ; if we have been 
convinced of our absolute need of Christ, and of 
his incomparable excellency, of his all-sufficien¬ 
cy, and willingness io save us ; John xvi. 8_ 

Eph i. 17. Matt. xi. 28. 1 Pet. ii, 7. Acts 

xx. 21. John vi. 57. John vii. 37. Matt, 
xvi. 34. Col. iii. 7. if these convictions have 
been powerful in us to drive us from ourselves, 
and the creature, and sin ; if we have hereupon 
been persuaded and enabled sincerely to come un¬ 
to Christ upon Lis call in the gospel, to accept 
of him upon his terms, and receive him, as he is. 


141 


offered in the gospel ; if our whole hearts have 
opened to him, and closed with him, and we have 
given up ourselves entirely to him, and taken 
him for our only Lord and Savior, as the only 
way to God, and do most sincerely resign up our¬ 
selves to his government, trusting in him alone, 
and relying upon him for life and righteousness, 
for grace and glory, John xiv. 6. Matt. xi. 29. 
John i. 14,16. John iii. 16, 36. Gal. v. 6. 

1 John v, I, Psal. cxix. 97. Actsxv. 0.xxvi. 
18. Gal. ii. 20. then we do believe in him, 
then have we this true faith, which is farther to 
be Jsnown thu3 ; that it worketh in us true sin¬ 
cere love to him, and to all that is his, his word, 
his people ; your hearts will run out after him, 
all your affections will centre in him. This true 
faith draws virtue from Christ to purify the 
heart, and work sanctification and holiness ; it 
doth crucify your affections to the world, it 
works true repentance, and enables you to over¬ 
come the world, John v. 4. Heb. xi. 1. Epli. 
i. 13- Ps. i. 6. Rom. xi. 20. 2 Cor. v. 7. 

and tc realize the good of heaven, and to bear U3 
up under all the troubles in our w ay thither, as 
in the viith chapter of Hebrew's, enabling us to 
trust and betrust our souls and bodies, and all 
our concernments with Christ: by this faith 



142 


#e shall stand, by it we walk, by it we live, 
and bold on, and hold out in following the lamb 
to the end of our life. Heb. x. 88. 

Now certainly, he that believes in Christ, hath 
no cause of heart-trouble, but quietly submits to 
the good will and pleasure of his God in Christ, 
under all the dispensations of his providence, 
while he is under this vale of tears, until he 
come to his Father’s house in peace, where he 
shall meet his dearest Lord, and an hearty wel¬ 
come. O ! this faith, this precious faith in 
Christ will conquer all our bane fears, moderate 
all our worldly sorrows, ease our minds perplex¬ 
ed with earthly cares, and quiet our disturbed 
and distracted thoughts about outward losses and 
troubles: by this faith we shall find all our loss¬ 
es made up in God and in Christ; then labor for 
it, cry mightily to God for this great gift ; cry 
to Jesus for it, he is the Author and Finisher of 
it ; Heb. xi. 1. and labor to act it upon him 
continually, 4 and your hearts shall not be troub¬ 
led.’ 

I dare affirm, that if any thing brings heart’s 
ease in heart-trouble, this will do it. So long 
as our faith holds up in act and exercise upon 
Christ, we shall be free from eart trouble ; but 
when our faith fails, our heart-troubles prevail : 


143 


as when Moses lifted up his hands, (and his 
heart too by faith) Israel prevailed ; but when 
his hands were down Amaleck prevailed.— 
Faith and heart-trouble are like a pair of balanc¬ 
es, when one goes up, the other goes down ; 
faith is the counterpoise of trouble of heart: Be¬ 
lieve then in Jesus, act faith on him, and that 
will prevent or cure heart-trouble. Continue in 
the faith, and your heart-troubles will cease ; 
believe what Christ is, and what he is to us. 

Secondy y Let us believe in Christ, and believe 
where he is. As to his essential presence, he is 
in heaven at the Father’s right hand, 4 making 
continual intercession for us’ to the Father. Heb. 
xii 2, 3. vii. 25. * He is our advocate with 

the Father,’ 1 John'ii. 1, 2. pleading our cause, 
presenting all our services, perfumed with his 
own righteousness, and relenting and feeling our 
infirmities, Heb. iv. 14, 15. sorrows and suffer¬ 
ings, sympathizing with us ; * In all our afflic¬ 
tions he is afflicted.’ Isa. Ixiii. 9 . He knows all 
our troubles, trials, temptations, sicknesses, loss¬ 
es and miseries. Jesus himself knew, when he 
was on earth, what it was to lose a friend : he 
wept when his friend Lazarus was dead. He is 
a most tender-hearted Saviour, a most merciful 
high priest ; he sees and feels now in heaven all 


144 


the miseries of his people upon earth, and pleads 
for them there : believe this, and 4 let not your 
hearts be troubled.’ 

And as to his spiritual and providential pres¬ 
ence, he is always with his people on earth 2 
he is in his people ; 4 Christ in you the hope of 
glory.’ Col, i. 27. He is in his word and or¬ 
dinances by his spirit, to bless them to his peo¬ 
ple. 4 Christ is all,’ Col. iii. II, 4 and in all.’ 
He is all, that is instead of all, of father, mother, 
husband, wife ; of son and daughter ; instead of 
health, wealth, liberty, and all to his people ; 
* in him dwelleth all fullness.’ Eph. i. 23. iii. 
If. And he is also in all; 4 He filleth all in 
all.’ In all his people ‘ he dwells in t heir hearts 
by faith.’ All our fresh springs are in him : all 
the strength, support, and comfort we have, 
comes from him ; he is in all providences, be 
they never so bitter, so afflictive, never so smart¬ 
ing, destructive to our earthly comforts, Christ 
is in them all ; every cup is of his preparing ; 
it is Jesus, your best friend, (Q ye poor believ¬ 
ers !) who most dearly loves you ; it is he that 
died for you; that appoints all those providenc¬ 
es, orders them all, over-rules them all, and will 
sweeten them all ; and in his due time will 
them ail profitable unto you, that you 


H5 


shall have cause one day to praise and bless his 
name for them ali. Oh ! that we could but be¬ 
lieve all this, and could by faith look unto our 
Jesus in all dark providences, and by faith be¬ 
hold this blessed Jesus managing of them, and 
believe in his love, wisdom, tenderness, and 
faithfulness in all ,• in our sicknesses, losses, pris¬ 
ons, restraints, &c. then surely our hearts should 
not be troubled. 

Thirdly , Relieve in Christ, believe what he 
hath told us ; 4 in my Father’s house are many 
mansions ; if it were not so, 1 would have told 
you ; I go to prepare a place for you.’ 1 John 
xiv, 3. Let us act faith upon these true sweet 
sayings of our dear Lord, who is truth itseif; 4 In 
my Father’s house are many mansions.* in my 
Father’s house, my Father’s, and your Father’s 
house, one house,'John xx. 7. 4 1 ascend to my 

Father, and your Father ; to my God, and your 
God ;’ and it is in that house which is 4 far a- 
bove all heavens,’ all visible elementary heavens, 

4 the third heavens that is the Father's house, 
that 4 house not made with hands, whose build¬ 
er and whose maker is God, and is eternal.* 
This 4 city of the living God.’ The Mew Jeru¬ 
salem ; there, saith Christ, 4 are many man- 
sions/ many dwelling?, many fixed, abiding, 
N 


140 


lasting, everlasting habitations ; Luke xvi. 6. 
not tents and tabernacles, such as we live in here 
on earth, but mansions, abiding places. Is not 
this a most comfortable consideration to such 
poor saints, as have here on earth no certain 
dwelling places, not an house of their own 
wherein to lay their heads, but are forced to re¬ 
move from place to place, still seeking an habi¬ 
tation, banished from family and friends, from 
relations and acquaintance ; some cast into pris¬ 
ons, (while others dwell safel) in their houses, 
and none to make them afraid,) and others ex¬ 
posed to much hardship and danger ? I say, this 
is good news to them, that * in their Father’s 
house are many mansions ;* there are everlasting 
habitations ready to receive them, made ready 
for them ; from which, when once they are en¬ 
tered, they shall never be cast out more ; from 
whence there shah be no more any remove forev¬ 
er. When once their earthly house of this tab¬ 
ernacle is broken down, they shall possess that 
* house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens.* Rom. v. 2, 3. Let u9 then by faith 
often look into the Father’s house, and view, 
and review those many mansions that are there ; 
and let us act hope also, that shortly we shall 
possess that place, and enjoy that blessed state ; 


147 


the believing frequent prospects of that place, 
will prevent our heart trouble, or cure it. 

‘.If it were not so, I would have told you,* 
saith our Lord ; if there were not such a blessed 
state, and glorious place for you, my disciples, in 
the other world, after all your sufferings in tins, 
I would have told you so ; for I have tola you 
of the many troubles you must endure in this 
world : and for your support and comfort, 1 am 
now telling you what good things you shall 
shortly enjoy above in my Father’s house, where 
is all joy, peace, rest, and consolation ; there are 
many mansions, no prisons, chains, nor fetters, 
but glorious dwellings, enough to hold all the 
saints that ever were, and that ever shall be in 
the world, where they shall enjoy full and free 
communion with the blessed trinity, and with 
one another; perfect liberty, without any re¬ 
straint or remove forever. Believe this, and ‘ let 
not your hearts be troubled.* 

‘ I go to prepare a place for you.* I have 
purchased this most glorious place for you by 
my blood ; I have promised it to you; now I go 
away to take possession of it for you, in your 
name and stead ; Oh what an heart-comforting, 
an heart-easing consideration should this be to 
poor believers ! that our Lord went from 


148 


earth to heaven, on purpose to prepare a place 
in heaven for us, to possess it in our name and 
'stead ; and in the mean time, he is preparing us 
by his word and spirit, by afflictions and deliv¬ 
erances for that glorious place ; hence he is call¬ 
ed our 1 fore runner, who is for us entered into 
that within the veil Heb vi. 19, 20. so that, 
as sure as Christ himself ascended, and went in¬ 
to the highest heavens, so sure shall all his dis¬ 
ciples, all true believers ascend, and enter into 
heaven also ; because he went thither himself, 
to prepare heaven for them, by taking possession 
of it in his human nature for us, as our head 
and Savior. 1 God hath prepared for them a 
city.’ Heb. xi. 10. Heaven and heavenly glo¬ 
ry is said to be prepared ; 4 A kingdom prepar¬ 
ed from the foundation of the world.’ Matt, 
xxv. 34. If we could believe that Christ hath 
prepared a place in heaven for us, and that heav¬ 
en will make amends for all our sufferings in the 
“waythither; Heb. xi. 20. and if wecoiild keep 
the eye of faith upon that 4 recompence of re¬ 
ward, that far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory,’ 2 Cor. iv. 10, 17, 18. we 
should hear up bravely under all our sufferings, 
and not have our hearts troubled. 

Let ns then look more heavenward, more to 


i 4§ 

our Father’s house ; let us have our conversa¬ 
tion more in heaven, * and set our affections 
more upon things above upon that blessed 
place and state above ; and know, ‘ that when 
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall ap¬ 
pear with him in glory.’ Phil. iii. 20. Col. 
iii. 1, 2, 3. Eelieve this, and be comforted. 

Certainly, we are too much taken up with, 
and too solicitous about our earthly tabernacle?, 
these houses of clay, whose foundation is in the 
dost* crushed before the moth : we are always 
minding the diseases, distempers, and dangers 
of our bodies, the prisons of our souls : we mind 
earthly places too much, but too little those 
‘ heavenly places in Christ Jesus,’ I£ph. ii. 6. 
where we shall shortly sit with him. Were 
we more heavenly-minded, we should be more 
free from heart-trouble, and disquietness of mind. 

Fourthly, and lastly, to prevent and cure ail 
our heart-trouble, let us labor to believe what 
Christ hath promised here in the text, ver. 3. 
‘ I will come again, and receive ) r ou to myself, 
that where I am, there ye may be also.’ Most 
sweet and comfortable promises! 

* I will come again.’ So ver. 13. ( I will 

come again ; I will not leave you comfortless 
for when I am absent from you in respect of my 


N 


150 


bodily presence , 6 I will send the Comforter to 
you, that shall abide with you forever.’ And I 
myself will come again unto you ; you shall not 
long be without my company. Though Christ 
seems to withdraw and hide his face from his 
people, it shall be but a little moment, Isa. liv. 
7, 8. Ke will return again, and have mercy, 
yea, with everlasting kindness will lie return. 
* I will come again I will not stay long from 
you ; my heart is still toward you, while 1 am 
absent ; therefore I wiil come quickly, Rev. iii. 
11. I will come to you with my messenger, 
death : though it be the king of terrors in itself, 
and a grim porter, yet by my coming with it, 
it shall be to you the king of comforts : I will 
eome with it, by my spirit, to strengthen you 
to look it in the face, t3 apply to you the virtue 
of my death, and thereby to take out the sting 
of it ; and I will come to you by my angels, to 
secure your souls through the region of devils, 
into my Father’s house. If death did come alone 
to us, it would be terrible indeed ; its ghastly 
countenance would affright us ; but here is the 
comfort, that Christ our dearest Lord, will come 
with death, to sweeten it to us, and support us 
under it. This prevented David's fear, Psal. 
xxiii. 4. ‘ When I walk through the valley of 


151 


the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thoa 
art with me.’ O welcome death, when Christ 
comes with it ! This bitter cup, of which we 
must all drink, is brought to us by the hand of 
our dearest Lord : this last enemy hath Christ 
conquered for us, because his children are ‘ par¬ 
takers of flesh and blood, he likewise took part of 
the same, that through death, (that is, his own 
death) he might destroy him that had the pow¬ 
er of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them, 
who through fear of death, were all their life¬ 
time subject to bondage.’ Heb. ii. 14. Jesus 
knew what death was; he himself had the 
pangs of death upon him ; Isa. liii. 6. sin, the 
sting of death, was laid upon him ; and the law, 
which is the strength of sin, the curse of the 
law was upon him : Gal. iii. 13. but now, for 
us, who believe in Jesus, the sting of death is 
taken out, and when we die, ‘ w’e shail die in 
the Lord, sleep in Jesusin union and commu¬ 
nion with Jesus ; we shall fall asleep in the 
blessed arms of our dear Redeemer. He will 
then come to keep us company through that 
dark entry death, into the Father’.-* house : his 
angels shall carry our souls into Abraham’s bo¬ 
som, yea, into the Father’s bosom. O ! that 
we would make sure of our union with Christ; 


152 


and then let us believe, that he will come with 
death, to translate our souls out of these earthly 
tabernacles, these prison-houses, these houses of 
bondage wherein our poor souls have been fet¬ 
tered and chained, cloj ed and dogged with cor¬ 
ruptions and temptations, kept at a distance, and 
absent from the Lord, and in which they have 
been groaning for deliverance, into the glorious 
liberty of the sons of God, in their Father’s house, 

‘ and shall ever be with the Lord.* Rom. viii. 
23. 2 Cor. v. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. I Thess. iv. IT. 

Secondly , ‘ I will receive you to myself : 0 
sweet promise ! This is all the hope, ab the de¬ 
sire, all the longing, thirsting, breathing of poor 
believers, viz. that Christ would take them to 
himself. This is the sum of all their prayers 
and labors, that they may be fitted for Christ, 
and then that Christ would take them to him¬ 
self. Well, saith Christ, work and wait a little 
longer ; do and suffer a little more • act your 
faith and patience a little longer, and I will 
come to you, and take you home to myself, 
where your souls shall be at rest forever. The 
saints while they are here,.* at home, in the bo. 
dy,’ they are ‘absent the Lord they -see but 
in part, darkly, and know but in part, very im¬ 
perfectly. and enjoy but a little, a very little o' 


153 


God and Christ. O how sweet are a few drops, 
a few glimpses and glances of divine love to a 
poor soul ! The least cast of Christ's eye, the 
least beam of his loving kindness, the least inti¬ 
mation of his favor, the least hint of his goodness, 
how refreshing to a poor benever! Rut when 
Christ shall receive them to himself, they shall 
‘ then see him as he •$, and be like him, 1 John 
iii. 2, 3. and shall be satisfied with his likeness/ 
Psal. i. 23. Then shall they see him, whom 
their souls love, face to face ; and then will Je¬ 
sus open to them all the treasures of his love and 
grace, to their everlasting consolation ; they 
shall then be admitted into the glorious presence 
of the great Qod, and our Savior Jesus Christ, 
‘ in whose presence is fullness of joy, and at 
whose right hand are pleasures for evermore/ 
Psal. xvi. i I. When the world shall cast them 
out, and their habitations shall cast them out, 
and shall know them no more ; yea, when their 
houses of clay shall be broken down and dissolv¬ 
ed, and can hold them no longer, then will Jesus, 

1 blessed Jesus, 4 receive them to himself then 
shall they be solemnly married to their glorious 
Bridegroom, the King of heaven’s Son, the 
i Prince of the kings of the earth ; he will take 
them for his bride, embrace them in his ever- 






134 


lasting arms, and lay them ir» his blessed bosom 
forever and ever. ‘ I will receive you to nay- 
self,’ into the nearest union and communion 
with myself; arid therefore be not unwilling to 
part with your dear relations ; be rot afraid to 
be separated from your bodies, } our oil friends ; 
for when these earthly tabernacles are dissolved, 
immediately 1 will receive you to myself, 
‘ which is best of all.’ Phil. i. 23. You shall 
then enjoy the fruits of all my sulTeririgs, death, 
resurrection, ascension, and intercession, and the 
fruits of all your own labors, prayers, tears, and 
sufferings ; and shall find that 1 am faithful in 
making good all my promises, and that your la¬ 
bor was not in vain in the Lord ; then shall 
there be no more any distance between you and 
me forever. Comfort yourselves, and comfort 
one another with thesfe words : 6 Believe this, 
and let not your hearts be troubled.’ 

Thirdly , That ‘ where I am, ye may be also.' 
And what more can be desired ? Where is 
Christ, but ‘ at the right hand of the Majesty on 
high,’ far above all 1 principalities and powers,* 
far above all heavens ? There shall you be also. 
O admirable, astonishing dignity, that blessed 
Jesus will advance his poor saints to in that day ! 
This high and wonderful honor shall all his 


Io5 

saints have ; they shall now receive the king¬ 
dom prepared for them, and that crown of glo¬ 
ry, of righteousness, and of life, which Christ 
has purchased for them, perfectly freed now from 
all sin and sorrow, and stated in an unchangable 
state of happiness and blessedness. What cause 
have v/e then to grieve for our dear relations, 
whom Christ hath taken to himself, and placed 
in the Father’s house, who are now sitting at 
his nght hand in glory, and singing hallelujahs ? 
And could we but firmly believe these promises 
of our Lord, and act our faith in meditating fix¬ 
edly on them, and on Jesus in them, applying 
and appropriating them, and Christ in them, 
to our own souls, considering and pondering 
on them, until our hearts be warmed, and our 
affections stirred and kindled with them, act¬ 
ing also hope, love, joy, desire, delight, thirst, 
panting, breathing ; pouring out our hearts 
in prayer to God for his spirit, to bring 
home these promises to our souls in power, 
fixing them upon our hearts, and helping us to 
lay hold on them, and upon Christ in them, and 
j resigning up our whole souls to Christ in them, 
stedfastiy relying on his goodness and faithful¬ 
ness, and trusting in him ; I say, could we but 
do so, and in the strength of God betrust our 





156 


whole selves, and all our concerns thus with 
Christ, and live in the lively exercises of faith 
thus on God, and on Christ, we should find this 
to be heart’s-ease to us in all our heart-trouble. 
* Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, 
precious ; and he that believeth in him, shall 
not be confounded,’ 1 Pet. 2, 6. 

LetaH heart-trouble coase/ 

Let naught disturb y our peace. 

Who faith in God profess, 

And in his Son no less. 

For in the Fathers house, 

Art many mansions sweet, 

Christ hath prepar’d for us. 

When we’re for them made mete. 


THE END. 


POSTSCRIPT. 


£u?st. It may be demanded, that having heard 
the excellency and usefulness of this sovereign 
medicine to cure heart-trouble, namely, ‘ faith in 
God and in Christ can you tell us how we 
may get this faith ? And what means we shall 
use to obtain it ? 

Am. 1 shall endeavor, by the help of God’s 
spirit, and Scripture-light, to direct you herein, 
and as briefly as I may. 

DIRECTION I. 

First , You must be convinced of your unbelief, 
of the greatness of the sin of unbelief, and o* 
your absolute need of faith, of these three things 
you must be fully convinced. 

1. Of your unbelief; for most people think 
they have faith, and that they never were with¬ 
out it. and therefore labor not for it. Pray ear¬ 
nestly therefore, tfiat the Holy Spirit may be 
sent into your hearts, to work this conviction 
in you, for it is his proper work, John xvi. 8, to 
convince ‘the yrorld of sin. because they believe 
not on me,’ saith our Lord ; this is the great sin, 

the damning sin of the world, their ‘ not believ- 

O 


JS8 


ing on Christ.* Now that we may be convinc¬ 
ed, that by nature we have no faith, let us con¬ 
sider these Scriptures, Eph. ii. 1 , 2,12, and that 
until we are regenerate and bom again, we have 
no faith, is evident from John i. 12,13. There* 
believing in Christ, and regeneration, are insepa¬ 
rably joined together, Acts xv. 9, and xxvi. 18, 
and xx. 21. From which Scriptures it is most 
evident, that such as are strangers to the heart- 
purifying, the heart-sanctify ing work of faith, 
have no faith ; if we have net truly repented, 
nor know any saving change wrought in us, 
and upon us, by the spirit of God ; for certain, 
whatever we think, we have no true saving 
faith, it is but a fancy ; of this then we must be 
fully convinced, and must most heartily beg the 
help of the spirit to convince us. 

2. Oft he greatness of the sin of unbelief: it 
binds the guilt of all other sins upon us; it is dis¬ 
obedience and rebellion against the great God, 
for lie commands us to believe, 1 John, iii. 21, 
and by our unbelief , 1 we make God a liar,’ 1 
John, v. 10. O horrible wickedness ! xW.d, 

3. We must b? convinced also of our absolute 
need of faith ; we must needs have it, or we 
must perish. 1 Without faith, it is impossible 
t > please God,’ Heh. xi, 6. Without it we can- 


159 


not be the children of Gcd, John i. 12. Gall. ill. 
26. Without it we can have i no pardon of 
sin, Acts x, 43. Rom. iii. 25. John viii. 24. 
And in what a dangerous case are we, so long 
as we lie under the guilt of all our sins ? With- 
cut faith we are ‘ not reconciled to God, nor 
justified,’ Rom. iii. 22, and Rom. vi. 1. Nor 
can we b e sanctified, Acts xxvi. 18. 2 Thess. 

ii. 13. No access to God but by faith, Rom. v. 
2, Eph. ii. 18. No living the life of religion, 
nor bearing up under affliction, nor holding out 
to the end without faith, Heb. xi. No salva¬ 
tion, nor eternal life, without it, Eph. ii. 18. 
John iii, 16,31. Heb. x. 39. Of all these 
things we must be convinced, if ever we will 
have faith. 

DIRECTION II. 

Secondly, if we would have faith, we must dil¬ 
igently search the scriptures, read the gospel, at¬ 
tend on the reading and preaching of the gos¬ 
pel, for this very end , that we may get faith by 
it : I say, jor this very end ; certainly, that it 
should be oar end in reading and hearing the 
word, which- was God’s end in publishing of 
it: now, this was his end in publishing it, John 
xx. 21, Rom. xvi. 25, 26. Rom. x. 17. Acts 

iii, 46. Eph. i. 13. This is the ordinary means 


appointed by God to work faith in the souls of 
men, as appear- by Acts ii. 42. chap. iv. 4, and 
chap. xi. 21, and many more. There are few 
that read, and hear the word for this end, and 
therefore get no faith by it. 

Now, that the word read, and heard, may be 
effectual to work this precious, this most neces¬ 
sary grace of faith in us, there are some things 
antecedent, some concomitant, and some conse¬ 
quent upon our attendance on the word, and our 
use of it. 

First, Some things antecedent, are necessa¬ 
ry : 

1. Preparation : For want of this the word 
most times proves ineffectual* It is the empty, 
hungry soul that relisheth and taketh in this 
food, James i. 21. 1 Pet. iii. 1. Matt. xiii. 22. 
Usually our success is according to our prepa¬ 
ration ; as in prayer, Psah x. 17. Compare 2 
Chron. xii. 14, with 2 Chron. xix. 3. Make 
conscience then of preparation. 

2 Piayer : Pour on’, your hearts to God in 
prayer for a blessing on the word, that you may 
real or hear. O i lift up a cry to God, and say, 
O, Lord make this word effectual to work faith 
in my sou), &c. 

3. Earnest desire and expectation of meeting 



161 


God in the word, and of his blessing in it : If 
we expect nothing from it, no wonder if we re¬ 
ceive nothing. There is 4 a fulness of blessing 
in the gospel, Rom. xv. 29. \V e should bring 
hungry and thirsty souls after God, the living 
God, as Fsal. lxiii. 1, 2, 3, and Ixxxiv. 2. ‘ God 
fdleth the hungry with good things, Luke i. 
53. 

Secondly , Some things are concomitant: as, 

1. We must read and hear it, ‘ as the word of 
God, and not as the word of man, i Thess. ii. 
13. Acts x 33, and we must acknowledge God’s 
authority in it. 

2. Receive it with meekness, opening our 
hearts to it, and giving it the most tender enter¬ 
tainment, James i. 21. 

3. With love, readiness of mind, and gladness 
of heart, 2 Thcss. ii. 10. 

4. With faith, giving credit to it, believing it 
to be the word of God, bleb. iv. 2. 

5. We must be careful to remember it ; see 
what great stress is laid upon our remembering, 
i Cor. xv. 2. Our salvation lies upon it, Psal. 

1J. Love the word, for love is the act of 
neemory. 

<j. Prayer must be added again for a blessing- 


o 



162 


Thirdly , Some things must be done afterward 

also. As, 

1 . Meditation upon what you have heard and 
read ; for want of this usually all is lost. I am 
persuaded, this is one great reason why most 
profit so little by the word, because they make 
no conscience of meditation ; they hear and 
read, but never think more on it afterwards : so 
preaching, hearing, reading, and all lost ; and 
souls, and heaven, and all lost. For God’s sake 
then, whose word you read and hear, and for 
your own soul's sake, if you are not willing they 
should perish for want of faith, make conscience 
of meditation on the word, Psal. i. 2, and cxix. 
97. If ever you would get good by the word, 
meditate upon it. 

2. Application of it: take it home to yourselves, 
Job v. 27. ‘Let it sink down into your hearts, 
saith Christ : It must be an ingrafted word, you 
must receive it into your hearts, and not into 
your heads only, 2 Cor. iv. 6, your hearts must 
be joined to it, and mixed with it. 

3. Practice : Yielding up ourselves to the gov¬ 
ernment of it, making it the standard and rule of 
our whole conversation. ‘ We must be doers of 
the word, and not hearers only, lest we deceive 
our own souls,’ James i. 22. Matt, vii, 22, 24. 


103 


And in observing these scripture rules here laid 
dow n, in the careful and consciencious use of 
God’s word after this manner, you may not 
doubt but the spirit of God will work with the 
word oi God, to make it effectual to work this 
most precious grace of faith in us, whereby to 
believe in God and Christ, to the consolation 
and eternal salvation of our souls : but if we neg¬ 
lect the means God hath ordained to get faith, 
and for want of it, die in our sins, and perish 
eternally, our destruction will be of ourselves. 

DIRECTION III. 

Thirdly , Would we have faith, let us engage 
our w hole souls in the deep and serious conside¬ 
ration of the infinite, unspeakable, uncoi viva- 
ble love of God the Father in this, the highest 
and fullest demonstration of it, in giving his son, 
his only begotten son, to be a sin-offering, a sac¬ 
rifice, a ransom lor poor sinners, and that for 
this very end and purpose, that we poor sinners 
might believe in him, and by believing might 
not perish, but have eternal life. I pray read 
and ponder upon the following texts, and let 
your most serious thoughts fix on them, and 
meditate on them, Isa. liii. throughout, John iii. 
If, 17. Rom. iii. 25, and y. 8, 10, Frov. viii. 


1G4 

30. Col. i. 12, 13. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20, 21. Rom. 
viii. 3, 32, with many others, which tor brevi¬ 
ty sake I cannot transcribe : If we can but be¬ 
lieve this wonderful love of God the Father, in 
giving his dear son to be a* Surety,a sin-offering, 
to la} r all our iniquities on him,-’ that* he w r as 
pleased to bruise him, and put him to grief’ for 
us: and consider and meditate upon the heighth 
and depth, the breadth and length, of this im¬ 
mense, incomprehensible love of God, in giving 
his son, and that on pnrpose, that we might be¬ 
lieve in him, and by believing might have eter¬ 
nal life ; I say, it will greatly help us to believe 
in his son, to accept of this his unspeakable gift, 
and to receive him as he is offered to us in the 
gospel. 

Moreover, let us also consider of, and deeply 
meditate upon the transcendent love of the sob 
of God himself ; who though he were the de¬ 
light of his Father, and fay in the bosom of his 
Father, even then his delights were with 
the sons of men, Proverbs viii. 30, 31. 
then was his heart full of love to poor sin¬ 
ners ; and his love brought him down from 
heaven to assume human nature, and to take 
upon him all the sins of his people, to bear 
^hem on his soul and body, in the garden, there 


165 


sweating great drops of blood, and on the cross 
there pouring out his heart-blood, made a curse, 
enduring the full measure of the wrath of God 
due for sin, and became the rar.som of souls, Phil, 
ii. 6, 7, 8. Luke xxii. 44. Gal. ii. 20. He 
loved us, and gave himself for us : 4 Loved us, 
and washed us from our sins in his blood, Rev. i. 
6, 1 Pet. i. 18. ii. 24. Gal. iii. 13. Tit. ii. 14. 

But while I am writing these things, I can¬ 
not but conceive an indignation against myself, 
and heartily wish I were filled with shame, 
sorrow and grief of spirit, that having read and 
heard so often of the surpassing love of God 
the Futhe>*, in giving his son; and so often of 
the unspeakable love of Jesus, and to be no 
more affected with it, no more sensible of it; 
to have my affections no more stirred and mo¬ 
ved, no more quickened and warmed: alas, my 
dead heart, my adamantine heart! Lord sprin¬ 
kle it with that blood; Lord, shed abroad that 
love of thine upon my heart abundantly by the 
Holy Ghost; Lord Jesus, manifest thy love to 
me, that 1 may love thee. I am ashamed and 
pained for want of love to God, to Jesus: O! 
that I could believe thy love to my soul, then I 
could not chuse but love thee. Lord, I believe, 
help my unbelief. The consideration of this 


166 

love of God, and of Christ, is a means to work 
faith: try it, I pray you, and you will find it so. 

DIRECTION. IV. 

Fourthly, Improve and act the historical faith 
you have, on the doctrines, promises and threat- 
nings in the gospel, which you profess you do 
believe. Act the faith yob have on the doct¬ 
rines of the gospel, the promises of rest for your 
souls, pardon for your sins, life and righteous¬ 
ness, grace and glory made to those that believe 
in Christ, and to none else, John vi. 37. vii. 
37. Matt. xi. 28, 29. Believe and think 
what heaven is, that state of infinite blessed¬ 
ness, in the seeing and enjoying the blessed 
God to all eternity : 2 Thess. 9, 10. believe what 
eternal life is, eternal glory ; and believe also 
what hell is, separation from God; ‘ Go, ye cur¬ 
sed into everlasting fire lakes of fire and brim¬ 
stone, everlasting death, the wrath of God, 
damnation; and see you profess that believe all 
this; then believe also and consider it v/eli, th a r 
neither is heaven’s infinite happiness to be at— 
Mined, nor hell’s unspeakable misery to be avoi¬ 
ded, but only by believing the Lord Jesus 
Christ. John iii. 16, 17. viiL 24. 


167 


BIRECT10N V. 

Fifthly y Would you have faith ? r ihen seek 
it diligently: pray, O pray for it as for your 
lives, cry mightily to God for it: pour out your 
hearts to God in prayer for it; pray continually 
for faith, pray without ceasing, be importunate 
with God for it; go all day and night panting 
and breathing after it, O that God would 
give me faith! Goto Jesus also fcr it; cry to 
him, for he is the Author as well as the Object 
of it, Heb. xii. 1,2. It is the gift of God ; O 
pray for it. 

DIRECTION VI. 

Lastly, Consider seriously, and often, how* 
wonderful willing God is that you should be¬ 
lieve ii> Christ, as you have heard; and how 
much he is displeased with those that will not 
believe in him ; and how dreadfully he hath 
threatened them, as Rev. xxi. 3. Also consid¬ 
er how exceeding willing Jesus Christ himself 
is, that poor sinners should come to him, and 
believe in him •, how sweetly he calls them, 
how freely he offers himself, and all he is, to 
them, be they never so bad, never so vile and 
wieked: ‘ Ho ! every one that thirsteth,’ Isai. 
Iv. I. They that have no worthiness in them, 


168 


nothing but sin and misery. John vi. 27. 
chap. vii. 37. Rev. iii. 18. chap. xxi. 11. 
O! set your hearts to the consideration of the 
incomparable, unparalleled love of Jesus, in dy¬ 
ing that cursed death of the cross for sinners: 
consider and meditate, hold your hearts to it, 
until your hearts be affected with his love, his 
love that passeth the love of women, love pass¬ 
ing understanding ; and consider how well he 
deserves, and how much he challengeth your 
love! Consider once again, what a most lovely 
person Jesus is, who is altogether lovely, the 
‘ brightness of his Father’s glory, in whom 
dwells all fulness/ Heb. i. 8. and in whom is 
all power in heaven and earth Matt, xxviii. 18. 
and labour to affect your hearts with his most 
admirable excellencies, and then come unto him 
weary and heavy laden with your sins, willing 
to part with them all: give up your whole 
selves to him, give him your whole hearts, and 
take him for head and husband, for your only 
Lord and Saviour ; enter actually in covenant 
with him, to become his, and his alone, and his 
forever. 

Th us Work out vcur salvation and consola¬ 
tion, by believing in Jesus, in blessed, all suffi¬ 
cient Jesus, trusting to him, and betrusting al! 


169 


with him, and the Lord will work in you ‘ both 
to will and to do,’ Phil. ii. 12, 13. Use these 
means in the strength of the Lord, and doubt 
not, but in the use of them, you shall obtain 
this precarious faith; which having, and act¬ 
ing, you shall find it to be your heart’s ease in 
aH your heart-trouble. 

PRAISE BE TO GOD ALONE . 


MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS. 


MEDITATION. 


MEDITATION is an act by which we con¬ 
sider any thing closely, or wherein the soul is 
employed in the search or consideration of any 
truth. In religion it is used to signify the se¬ 
rious exercise of the understanding, whereby 
our thoughts are fixed on the observation of 
spiritual things, in order to practice. Mystic 
divines make a great difference between medit¬ 
ation and contemplation: the former consists 
ia discursive acts of the soul, considering me- 
P 




170 


thodically and with attention the mysteries of 
faith, and the precepts of morality ; and is per¬ 
formed by reflections and reasonings which 
leave behind them manifest impressions on the 
brain. The pure contemplative, they say, 
have no need of meditation, as seeing all things 
in God at a glance, and without any reflection. 

I. Meditathn is a duty which ought to be 
attended to by all who wish well to their spir¬ 
itual interests. It ought to be ‘ deliberate, 
close’ and * perpetual,’ Psal. cxix. 97. Psal. i- 
2.—2. The ‘ subjects’ which ought more es¬ 
pecially to engage the Christian mind, are the 
works of creation, Psal. xix. the perfections of 
God, Deut. xxxii. 4. the excellencies, offices, 
characters, and works of Christ, Heb. xii.. 2,3* 
the offices and operations of the Holy Spirit, 
15th and 16th ch. John ; the various dispensa¬ 
tions of Providence, Psal. xcvii. 1, 2; the pre¬ 
cepts, declarations, promises, &c. of God’s word, 
cxix. the value, powers, and immortality of the 
Soul, Mark viii, 36 ; the noble, beautiful, and 
benevolent plan of the gospel, 1 Tim. i. 11; the 
necessity of our personal interest in, and expe¬ 
rience of its power, John iii. 3; the depravity 
of our nature, and the freedom of divine grace 
in choosing, adopting, justifying, and sanctify- 


17 ! 


■ng us, I Cor. vi. 11; the shortness, worth, and 
swiftness of time, James iv. H; the certainty 
of death, Hcb. ix. 27 ; the resurrection and judg¬ 
ment to come, l Cor. xv. 50, &o. and the fu¬ 
ture state of eternal rewards aud punishments, 
Matt. xxv. These are some of the most im¬ 
portant subjects on which we should meditate. 
—3. 4 To perform this duty aright,’ we 
should be much in prayer, Luke xviii. 1 ; avoid 
a worldly spirit, 1 John ii. 15; beware of sloth, 
Heb. vi. 11; take heed of sensual pleasures, 
James iv. 4; watch against the devices of Sa¬ 
tan, 1 Pet. v. 8 ; be often in retirement, Psal. 
iv. 4 ; embrace the most favourable opportuni¬ 
ties, the calmness of the morning, Psal. v. 1,3; 
the solemnity of the evening, Gen. xxiv. 63 ; 
Sabbath days, Psal. cxviii. 24; sacramental oc¬ 
casions, &c. 1 Cor. xi. 28-—4. The‘ advanta¬ 
ges’ resulting from this are, improvement of 
the faculties of the soul, Prov. xvi. 22; theaf. 
fections are raised to God, Psal. xxxix. 1,4; 
an enjoyment of divine peace and felicity, Phil, 
iv. 6, 7 ; holiness of life is promoted, Psal. 
cxix. 59, 60 ; and we thereby experience a fore¬ 
taste of eternal glcrv, Psal. Ixxiii. 25, 26, 2 

Cor. v. l,&c. 


172 


REVELATION. 

Revelation, the act of revealing or making a 
thing public that was before unknown; it is 
also used for the discoveries made by God to 
his prophets, and by them to the world ; and 
more particularly lor the books of the Old and 
New Testaments. A revelation is, in the 
first place, ‘ possible.* God may. for any thing 
we can entirely tell, think proper to make 
some discovery to his creatures which they 
knew not before. As he is a Being of infinite 
power, we may be assured he cannot be at a 
loss for means to communicate hiswiii and 
that in such a manner as will sufficiently mark 
his own.—2. It is 6 desirable.’ For, whatever^ 
the light of nature could do for man, before rea¬ 
son was depraved, it is evident that it has done 
little for man since. Though reason be neces¬ 
sary to examine the authority of divine reve¬ 
lation, yet, in the present state, it is incapable 
of giving us proper discoveries of God, the way 
of salvation, or of bringing us into a state of 
commnnion with God. It therefore follow’s, 
—3. That it is necessary. Without it v e can 
attain to no certain knowledge of God, of Christ, 
of the Holy Ghost, of pardon, of justification, of 
sanctification, of happiness, of a future state, of 


resvai : arid porrichments.-^d. No revelation, as 
Brown observes, relative to the redemption 
of mankind could answer its respective ends, un- 
less it were sufficiently marked with interna /and 
external evidences. That the Bible hath inter¬ 
nal evidence, is evident from the ideas it gives 
us of-God’s perfections, of the law of nature, of 
redemption, of the state of man, &c. As to its' 
external evidence, it is easily seen by the charac¬ 
ters of the men who composrd it, the miracles 
wrought, its success, the fulfilment of its pred'c- 
tions, &c. —5. The contents of revelation area- 
greeable to reason. It is true there are some 
things above the reach of reason ; but a revela¬ 
tion containing such things is no contradiction, 
as long as it is not against reason ; for if every 
thing be rejected which cannot be exactly com¬ 
prehended, we must become unbelievers at once 
of almost every thing around us. The doct¬ 
rines, the institutions, the threatenings, the pre¬ 
cepts, the promises, of the Bible, are every way 
reasonable. The matter, form, and exhibition 
of revelation are consonant with reason,—6. 
The revelation contained in our Bible is perfect¬ 
ly credible. It is an address to thu reason, 
judgment, and affections of men. The Old Te.> 
tsstament abounds with the finest specimens^* 


174 

history, sublimity, and interesting scenes of Prov¬ 
idence. The facts of the New Testament are 
supported by undoubted evidence from enemies 
and friends. The attestations to the early ex¬ 
istence of Christianity are numerous from Igna¬ 
tius, Pol) carp, Irenseus, Justin Martyr, and Ta- 
tian, who were Christians ; and by Tacitus, 
Sueton, Serenus, Pliny, &c. who were Heathens. 
7. The revelations contained in our Bible are 
divinely inspired . The matter, the manner, the 
scope, the predictions, miracles, preservation, 
&c. &c. all prove this.—8. Revelation is intend¬ 
ed for universal benefit. It is a common objec¬ 
tion to it, that hitherto it lias been confined 
to few, and therefore could not come from God, 
who is so benevolent; but this mode of arguing 
will equally hold against the permission of sin, 
the inequalities of Providence, the dreadful e- 
vils and miseries of mankind which God could 
have prevented, it must be farther observed, 
that none deserve a revelation ; that men have 
despised and abused the early revelations he 
gave to his people. This revelation, we have 
to believe, shall be made known to mankind. 
Already it is spreading its genuine influence. 
In the cold regions of the North, in the burn¬ 
ing regions of the South, the Bible begins to 


IT5 


be known; and, from predictions it contains, 
we believe the glorious Tun of revelation shall 
shine and illuminate the whoieglobe.—^. The 
* effects’ of revelation which have already ta¬ 
ken place in the world, have been astonishing. 
In proportion as the Rible has been known, arts 
and sciences have been cultivated, peace and lib¬ 
erty have been diffused, civil and moral obli¬ 
gations have been attended to. Nations have 
emerged from ignorance and barbarity, whole 
communities have been morally reformed, un¬ 
natural practices abolished, and wise laws insti¬ 
tuted. Its spiritual effects have been wonder¬ 
ful. Kings and peasants, conquerors and phi¬ 
losophers, the wise and the ignorant, the rich 
and the poor, have been brought to the foot of 
the cross; yea, millions have been enlightened, 
improved, reformed, and made happy by its 
influences. Let any one deny this, and he must 
bean hardened, ignorant infidel, indeed. Grtat 
is the truth and must prevail. 

SABBATH. 

Sabbath , in the Hebrew language, signifies 
rest, and is the seventh day of the week: a day 




176 


appointed for religious duties, and a total cessa¬ 
tion from work, in Commemoration of God’s 
resting on the seventh day: and likewise in 
memorial of the redemption of the Israelites 
from Egyptian bondage. 

Concerning the time c?hen the Sabbath was 
first instituted there have been different opin- 
ions. Some have maintained that the sanctifi¬ 
cation of the seventh day mentioned in Gen. ii, 
is only there spoken of by anticipation; and is 
to be understood of the sabbath afterwards en¬ 
joined in the wilderness; and that the historian, 
writing after it was instituted, there gives the 
‘reason’ of its institution ;and this is supposed 
to be the case, as it is never mentioned during 
the patriarchal age. - But against this senti¬ 
ment it is urged, 1. That it cannot be easily 
supposed that the inspired penman would have 
mentioned the sanctification of the seventh 
day amongst the primaeval transactions, if such 
sanctification had not taken place until 250$ 
years afterwards.—2. That, considering Ad¬ 
am was restored to favour through a Med iator, 
and a religious service instituted, which man 
was required fo observe, in testimony not only 
of his dependence on the Creator, but also of 
Ms faith and hope in the promise, it seems rsa- 


177 

sonable that an institution so grand and solemn, 
and so necessary to the observance of' this ser¬ 
vice, should be then existent.—3. That it is no 
proof against its existence because it is not 
mentioned in the patriarchal age, no more than 
it is against its existence from Moses to the 
end of David’s reign, which was near 440 
years.—4. That the sabbath was mentioned as 
a well known solemnity before the promulga¬ 
tion of the law, Lxod xvi. 23. For the man¬ 
ner in which the Jews kept it, and the awful 
consequences of neglecting it, we refer the rea¬ 
der to the Old t estament, Lev. xxvi. 34, 35. 
Neh. xiii. 16, 18. Jer. xvii. 21. Lzek. xx. 
16, 17. Numb. xv. 32 to 36. 

Under the Christian disp* nsation the sab¬ 
bath is altered from the seventh to the first day 
of the week. The arguments for the change 
are these: 1. As the seventh day was observed 
by the Jewish church in memory of the rest of 
God after the works of the creation, and their 
delivery from Pharaoh’s tyranny, so the first 
day of the week has • always’ been observed by 
the Christian church, in memory of Christ’s 
resurrection.—2. Christ made repeatcdvists to 
his disciples on that day,—3 It is called the 
Lord’s day, llev. i. 10.—4. On this day the 


378 


apostles were assembled, when the Holy Ghost 
came down so visibly upon them, to qualify 
them for the conversion of the world.—5. On 
this day we find St. Paul preaching at Troas, 
when the disciples came to break bread.—6. 
The directions the apostle gives to the Chris¬ 
tians plainly allude to their religious assemblies 
on the first day.—9. Pliny bears witness of 
the first day of the week being kept as a festi¬ 
val, in honour of the resuirection of Christ: and 
the primitive Christians kept it in the most sol¬ 
emn manner. 

These arguments, however, are not satisfac¬ 
tory to some, and it must be confessed that 
there is no law in the New Testament concern¬ 
ing the first day. However, I look upon it as 
not so much the precise time that is universally 
binding, as that one day out of seven is to be 
regarded. 

As the sabbath is of Divine institution, so 
it is to be kept holy unto the Lord. Numer¬ 
ous have been the days appointed by men for 
religious services; but these are not binding be¬ 
cause of human institution. Not so the sab¬ 
bath, Hence the fourth commandment is ush¬ 
ered in with a peculiar emphasis—“ Remem¬ 
ber’ that thou keep holy the sabbath day.” 


179 


This institution is * wise as to its ends :* That 
God maybe worshipped; man instructed ; na¬ 
tions benefitted ; and families devoted to the ser¬ 
vice of God. It is ‘ lasting as to its duration.’ 
The abolition of it would be unreasonable; un- 
scriptural, Exod. xxxi. 13; and every way dis¬ 
advantageous to the body, to society, to the 
soul, and even to the brute creation. It is, 
however, awfully violated by visiting, feasting, 
indolence, buying and selling, working, worldly 
amusements, and travelling. 












































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